Dante's Opera
by Ellen33
Summary: Continuation of Lulu Let's Them Have It! From Dante's perspective now. 1st chapter is a little long. Story centers around Dante finding out about Michael, still undercover but knowing he's his brother. Story continues in Alternat Universe:Missing.
1. Ch 1: Wide Awake

Dante's Opera

Chapter One

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

"When did you get so smart?" Dante smiled. "Maybe you should be a psychologist and give us all therapy."

Lulu laughed then and said, "Hmmm, if I think about it, I'd be rich with all the sessions you'd have to take alone."

"Alone?" Dante's smile widened, his eyebrows raised. "Well, what kind of therapy would that entail?"

"Well, a little of this," Lulu leaned in to Dante and gave him two slow kisses, "and a little of this," she said again before she kissed him again. This time, Dante reached his hand behind her head and kept her lips there. He pulled her deeper into the kiss as his tongue parted their lips. As was their experience, no sooner had they started to get more passionate with their kiss than his door opened again and his mom came in.

Lulu whispered into Dante's mouth, "We have got to start locking doors and turning off cell phones."

Dante laughed, as Olivia offered her apology. Neither Dante nor Lulu took their eyes off each other during the interruption.

"No, Ma," he said, "Come in. We have a lot to talk about."

His eyes still on Lulu, Dante said, "Come back later?"

"Mmm, hmm," Lulu responded and kissed him again. Then she got up from his bedside, grabbed her purse and left Dante and Olivia to talk.

As the door closed, Olivia spoke up and cautioned Dante, "Are you sure you two should be so, uh, close so soon?"

"Close? We were just kissing, Ma," Dante countered, "And I almost died so if I want to kiss Lulu or she wants to kiss me, well, we have the right."

"Okay, okay, I get it. You know I like her. She's good for you and she's crazy about you. She's like a younger, blonder version of me. I have no aversion to you dating Lulu," Olivia defended, "But you need to rest and not be getting frisky. Hey, you may be mad at me right now, and I know that you and Lulu are hot for each other but you need to cool it until you're healed…or at least out of the hospital." Though Dante tried to interrupt his mom's little speech, she hadn't allowed it until she was done saying what she wanted to say.

"Now, how are you feeling?" she asked him.

"I'm okay," Dante responded, "Better but still in pain in the chest area where my father, who I didn't know about, shot me. Oh, and I think it's because my mother lied to me and never told me until it was too late that he was my father. That's how I'm feeling."

"Okay, I get that you're angry and I can deal with that. But I am your mother and I love you and I get to worry about you and ask you how you're feeling. And I deserve a straight answer, Dante," Olivia asserted her position at the head of their family.

"Well, I think you'll forgive me if I'm a little pissed at you for letting my father almost kill me," Dante responded, still heated. "You know what? I just want to know one thing: why? Why did you not tell me about Sonny?"

"How was I supposed to tell you? By the way, Sonny's your father so the last year and a half of your life that you spent undercover has been worthless? Would you have stopped your investigation? Would you be any less angry with me then than now? I don't think so, not on either account. That's not who you are, Dante," she answered.

"Everything I am is a lie now, Ma," Dante said.

"No. Just because Sonny is your father doesn't change the man you are, the man you've become. Sonny has nothing to do with who you are besides genetics and blood. You are his opposite," Olivia pointed out. "You uphold the law and Sonny is a criminal. And you know that I had very good reasons why I didn't tell you that Sonny was your father. Just as much as you hate that he's your father, I hate the man he is and didn't want you any part of his life. _Because _I kept you away from him, you are your own man and you're such a good man, baby. I'm so proud of the man that you are, the job you've done and even the woman you've fallen in love with."

"Nice try, Ma," Dante interjected. "Let's leave Lulu and my job out of this for now. I just found out that you've known who my father was my entire life. I just found out that the man I thought was my father isn't. Oh, yeah, I never told you that I did my own research and figured out who might be my father but it didn't seem right that I approach him. Well, now I know why it didn't feel right because it wasn't. I've always had good instincts, Ma. It's why I'm a good cop. Maybe even my easy connection with Sonny was partly due to the fact that I had a genetic connection to him. I don't know. All I know is that my father pulled the trigger on an unarmed cop. Yeah, it just happened to be me but regardless of that, he still pulled the trigger and didn't flinch once. That's who I know as my father."

"I don't know what you want me to do or say, Dante. I just know that I don't apologize for keeping him from you. He's not an influence that I wanted in my kid's life. Period. You can hate me for it, that's fine. But I'd choose to do it all over again in a heartbeat," she said. "Now, I know you need your rest and we aren't going to solve this all right now…and you don't need to be getting so worked up. I'm going to go and you need to sleep. I love you, baby. That has never changed or will ever change, no matter how angry we are at each other or whether we agree or not."

"I love you, Ma. I just don't really like you very much right now," Dante responded.

"I'll take that. I don't like it but I'll take it. Now, I'm going and you're going to rest," Olivia said and then left his bedside and closed the door behind her.

Dante laid his head on his pillow, closed his eyes and let out a loud sigh. His head was swimming and he just didn't know what to think or how to react. He was a good cop and he loved his job. However, the father he'd never known was the biggest mob boss on the eastern seaboard. The man he hated his entire life, the man who had shot Mr. Poletti, the man who would stare directly at an unarmed man and shoot him with no remorse was his flesh and blood. He even resembled him in features, in personality and charm. Dante had respected Sonny in a lot of ways, despite his assignment and personal vendetta. He'd seen a side of Sonny that he hadn't expected. Dante found himself struggling to continue his work with concern for both Sonny's kids and Sonny himself.

But how do I ever forget the coldness in his eyes as he pulled the trigger? Dante asked himself. It was a sick joke that life pulled on him – and on Sonny. That man's blood ran throughout his own. Dante had to deal with the fact that his own father shot him, as Sonny dealt with the fact that he had shot his own son point blank. But take that all away, Dante said softly out loud, and nothing would be different. He still would've shot me.

Then Dante realized his true dilemma: it wasn't just that Sonny was his father and now Michael, Morgan and Kristina his siblings, but the fact that until Dante, Sonny never had a chance to change, to grow from all the anger. Having gotten so close and knowing bits and pieces of Sonny's childhood, knowing that Sonny loved his kids more than his own life, and now knowing that his mom had lied to him all these years about his father, Dante realized that maybe Sonny wouldn't have chosen this life if he'd have known that Dante was his. Would Sonny have chosen Dante, and by extension, Olivia, over Scully's business? Would he have gone another direction if he knew he had a child to care for? Was it Dante that Sonny needed? Was it Dante's responsibility now to help his father see the error of his ways, to help him turn away from his criminal life? Was it even possible for Sonny to do that at this point? Did Dante even have a chance to help his father find his way out of such a dangerous life? Or was it pointless and they were doomed to be on opposite sides of the law?

Then he realized the most critical of decisions made about their relationship was his mom's: Was Olivia's decision the cause of Sonny's dangerous life? If his mother had told Sonny, would he have taken a different path in life? Was his mom truly at fault for both Dante's life and Sonny's life? These thoughts made Dante feel nauseous. The separation he felt from his mom was growing with each minute. The strong bond and relationship they'd always enjoyed was going up in smoke all around him. He loved her truly but one decision of hers could've caused all this pain and anger. One mistake had changed everything about her in his eyes. Not only had his paternity been a catalyst for his inner turmoil, but his connection to his mom was in jeopardy. The one person in his life until now that he could solely and completely trust had created the biggest lie in his life.

In that same moment, Dante's thoughts turned to Lulu. His mom had been right about her: she was a younger, blonder version of Olivia but with one difference. Lulu wouldn't lie to him. In fact, she'd been so honest with him throughout his assignment. Even when she disagreed with him, she still kept his secret and even supported him. Regardless of what happened in the future, he knew without a doubt that she was the only person that he could trust right now. He only had one resting place and it was in her. If there was anything that he could say that he knew for sure, it was that. She was his solid ground right now and he felt so fortunate that he had her to lean on.

He desperately wanted to see her then. He wanted to talk to her and get her opinions…even to just see her face and feel her hands in his. He was telling the truth when he told her that he'd never felt this way about a girl before. But she was more than just a girl to him. She was a truly amazing woman of strength, incredible support and moral stance. She was beautiful, funny, smart and fiery….and she had chosen to be with him. He'd pursued her so relentlessly but he had no bearing on her decision to be with him. He was not going to break through her walls unless she decided to let him. His eyes started to tear when he realized the gift that she had given him: that she was choosing to be with him over anyone and anything else, including her family. In a life spent without a father, with a chip on his shoulder since Mr. Poletti's death, and a mother that couldn't know everything about a boy growing up in a single parent home – no matter how amazing she'd been – there was never anyone that wasn't related to him that chose to love him unconditionally until Lulu. No other woman he'd ever dated or since Mr. Poletti had ever truly chosen him over anyone else. His heart was full just thinking about Lulu's fierce protection of him and her gentleness with him. It overwhelmed him so that he hadn't noticed tears were streaming easily down his face.

A few moments later, the door to his room slowly opened and he saw who he knew would forever be the love of his life gently enter into his room. Quickly, he wiped the tears away before she had a chance to notice. It wasn't fast enough.

"Hey," Lulu spoke softly and with a soft smile as she slowly entered his room, "are you awa---Dante, are you okay?" Lulu hadn't gotten her first sentence out before she noticed Dante's tear-stained face.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he lied.

Lulu was at her chair beside him by the time he answered. "No, you're not. What happened with Olivia? Did she upset you?" She was clearly concerned.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" he said then continued, "No, actually it doesn't have anything to do with her. It has everything to do with you."

"Oh, did I do something wrong?" she was holding his hand and let go, thinking she'd done something to cause what she thought was grief.

But Dante grabbed her hand again and reassured her, "No. You didn't do anything wrong. It's not like that." He rubbed her hand with his and pulled her a little closer, her rolling chair obeying his command. "You are so beautiful and so amazing. I'm so lucky to have you by my side and that you've chosen to be with me." He was looking directly into her eyes, he wasn't even blinking. "I don't know if I would ever be able to get through all of this without you. But it's even more than that. I don't want to live without you. I don't want to know what my life would be like without you in it. With all the craziness around me, you are the one solid, stable thing in my life. And I guess when I realized that, and because of all the medication, it made me tear up. That's all." He smiled at her the smile that had always made her melt.

"That's all, huh? The medication and you finally realizing that I'm never allowing you to push me away ever again is what makes you cry? Good to know you finally listened to me and it brought you to tears. I guess I have more power over you than I thought," she joked back, with a smile that illuminated her face.

"Yeah, but remember that I'm on meds, too, so I may not have cried if I weren't so drugged," he pointed out, joking about his manliness.

"Oh, okay, well I guess I'll let you win this argument since you're so weak and drugged right now," she joked back.

He laughed a little then said, staring again into her eyes, "Seriously, I do love you, Lulu Spencer, for everything you are. I wouldn't change anything about you."

"I'm so in love with you, Dante Falconeri," Lulu said back, her left hand on his right cheek. He pulled her closer and they kissed gently but with emotion that overwhelmed them both. She pulled away after a short while and said, "You need to rest now."

"I know, but will you lay here with me?" Dante asked her breathlessly. Their foreheads were resting against each other, their eyes closed.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Lulu responded as she pulled her face away from his enough to look into his eyes.

"I just want to fall asleep with you in my arms," Dante said truthfully. "I just want to wake up knowing you're here."

She looked at him lovingly and just said, "Okay." She removed her shoes as he moved a little to his left, gingerly. Then she climbed on the bed on his right side and kissed him square on the forehead before she snuggled against him. She laid her right hand between his chest and abdomen as he hugged her to him with both arms. They closed their eyes and rested silently until both fell asleep. He would think no other thoughts until morning, when he would be forced to make a decision about his father.

Chapter 2 of 10: Dante & Sonny, take 2


	2. Ch 2: Dante v Sonny, Part II

Dante's Opera

Chapter Two: Dante v. Sonny, Part II

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

Dante awoke first, a habit he'd noticed he had developed whenever Lulu was at his bedside. It's my way, he mused, of making sure she's still here and this is all real. It was both painful and joyful to know that it was all real. Today was Day 6 of his little opera. The Aftermath, he called it. He felt it fitting he'd treat his new life as an opera, since his life had basically become the plot of one. He wondered amusingly if, when all this is over, he should write one. You had to admit that his current life was perfect: undercover cop shot point blank by his unknowing mobster father, FBI tricked said mobster into believing mobster son just a pawn and not a real cop, yet Dante still had to bring down mobster now knowing that he is his father. It was way too easy to come up with promos for the opera: Will secret cop son of mobster betray daddy? Or will he protect daddy, and betray his own integrity? The story practically wrote itself. The bad thing is that it wasn't just a story or a future opera: it was Dante's real life and he was the only one that could write its ending.

His eyes ventured down to the golden-haired beauty still asleep in his embrace. Had it not been for Lulu, he knew he would be completely lost. He couldn't trust his mother; his father was the man he was trying to bring down; his comrades were mad at him for not pointing the finger at Sonny for shooting him; and everyone in Sonny's organization was treating him like a rat. And now, he still had to stay undercover and manuveur his way, again, in the organization that now he knew was his fathers, a man he thought he'd never know or meet. Yet, he'd always secretly hoped he'd meet his father; he just hadn't expected the meeting to be submerged in iconic irony. He laughed again. The thought occurred to him that besides an Opera, his life could be a great storyline for a soap opera. Wouldn't that just be hilarious, he said to himself.

The beautiful, warm body beside him stirred and stretched as the light golden brown eyes lazily opened. Lulu looked up at Dante, saw his irresistible grin and, smiling herself, asked, "What are you so happy about?"

"You already know that answer," he said flirtatiously, and kissed her forehead.

"Yes, but what else? I know some of your looks now and this one is a little more than that," she informed him, still smiling.

"I was just thinking how my life is like an opera. I was kinda thinking of writing it when this is all over."

Lulu giggled. "You are so hilarious. But you're right, it is like an opera. I'd say that now I'm a little worried about this opera obsession you have. I think you might need an intervention."

"Well, believe me, I didn't ask for this. I'd rather go see one than live it."

"I know. But it will be over soon."

"Will it? I'm not so sure. Sonny's my father. I'm a cop - till undercover and still expected to bring him down. How do I do that now?" Dante asked her truthfully.

"Are you having second thoughts about bringing Sonny down?" Lulu asked.

Before he could answer, there was a quick knock on the door. The person didn't wait for answer and opened it widely. Sonny stood at the doorway, looking haggard and looking at his firstborn. "Can I come in?"

"Sonny, I don't think Dante –" Lulu started but Dante stopped her.

"It's okay, Lulu, he can come in. In fact, would you mind leaving us alone?"

"Are you sure? Last time –" she started again.

"I know. I'm okay now. I'll be fine. I need to talk to So--- my father," Dante said.

She started to get up, but Dante pulled her back and gave her a tender but emotional kiss and said, "I'll miss you."

She said back, "I'll miss you, too. I'll stay close by."

He smiled at her and just said, "You're so good to me."

"Don't you forget it." Then Lulu walked out, leaving father and son to talk.

Dante cleared his throat and wasted no time in getting to the point. His tone was not soft like it had been when Lulu was in the room. "So, Sonny, sorry, Dad, what do you want?"

"I just wanted to check on you and see how you were doing…if you were any better."

"No thanks to you but yeah, I'm getting better. But it'll take a little while. Chest wounds can be pretty tricky, I hear – especially if taken at point blank range."

"If I'd known you were my son –" Sonny was interrupted.

"You wouldn't have shot me, right? That doesn't make it any better. It doesn't make it right. I was unarmed, and I thought I'd proved to you that I was trustworthy…but Spinelli finds some suspect info and you automatically think I'm a rat cop? What am I supposed to do with that?"

"It was more than suspect info…"

"But if you trusted me enough to consider handing me over your business, then why wouldn't you talk to me about it? Let me guess, shoot first, ask questions later. If I didn't understand that before, I do now," Dante paused a moment then added, "And that Michael can do no wrong."

"Listen, you're my son, Dante, which means that Michael is your brother. I want you to know that I didn't believe him at first. I thought it was just his jealousy and he was trying to get me to get rid of you. So I didn't believe him but I did ask Jason to look into it. If there is one thing that I know I'd do again, it would be to have Jason check it out. I did trust you – I do trust you – and I don't trust people too easily. I had to check it out since trusting you came so easily. I had to make sure I wasn't being manipulated. You –" Sonny stopped, and hung his head a bit. When he lifted it up again, his eyes were wet.

"Me what, Sonny?" Dante asked.

"You reminded me too much of me and how I moved up in this business. I did what I had to do to prove my loyalty – the same way you did with me. I was good at manipulating and making myself invaluable to my boss – just like you. I just had to be sure."

"And shooting me? How did you come to that choice?"

"I felt betrayed. You know that betrayal is the end game for anyone in this business. You betrayed me; and there is no other choice but to end it."

With those words, Dante realized his father was too far gone to ever be saved. He'd kill anyone point blank, armed or not, to save himself. Right or wrong did not matter to Sonny. The only thing that did matter was his kids and his loved ones. And though Sonny would do what it took to protect them, it was the very same type of protection that made Sonny a monster. Sonny may have been his father by biology but he wasn't Dante's father in any other way. The choices that Sonny had made, Dante told himself, made it easy for him to see Sonny for who he was: a breaker of the law but more than that, a murderer. Regardless of biology, Sonny had to be brought to justice – not only because he had done wrong in the eyes of the law, but that he couldn't see his choices were affecting his kids instead of protecting them. Dante wouldn't allow his brothers and sister to live anymore under Sonny's parenting style. It was time that his father was brought to justice.

Sadly, Dante's mission was to betray his father in the worst way. He knew it would be difficult and would test every fiber of his being, but for the sake of his siblings, he would do it. And he would succeed – or die trying.

The door unlatched softly, as Lulu started to make her way into the room. She'd given father and son ten minutes and felt that it was plenty of time.

"I got you a little something to eat and drink. Sonny, the doctor said that Dante needs to eat a litlte and rest again," Lulu said.

"That's fine. I'll come back later. I love you, son."

Dante didn't respond. Sonny left the room as Lulu replaced him at Dante's bedside.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I know what I have to do now."

He took the glass of ice water, raised it toward Lulu as if to toast, smiled sadly and took a sip.


	3. Ch 3: Dante's Decision

Dante's Opera

Chapter Three: Dante's Decision

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

After an afternoon nap, Dante awoke to Dr. Webber and Epiphany adjusting his IV and machines. Lulu was no longer in sight and Dr. Webber noticed Dante's concerned face.

"Lulu is just outside. We needed to check your vitals and make sure you were ready to be moved."

"Moved?" Dante asked.

"Yes, you are stable enough to be moved out of ICU. But don't get too excited because you will still be in this hospital for another few weeks. However, you are healing nicely and I'm going to let you get out of this bed a little in a few days. For now though, you get a new room with a view, I might add," Dr. Webber said.

"That's awesome, doc! I think I've counted the tiles on this ceiling 100 times now. I hate math," Dante said truthfully.

"Well, again, don't get too excited. You'll do more ceiling tile counting in the new room but you will have a window and get to be out of bed for a few minutes a day," Dr. Webber reiterated.

"I'm not complaining. I'm just glad for the change of scenery," Dante said.

"Epiphany, how does it look over there?" Dr. Webber asked across Dante's bedside.

"It looks good here," Epiphany answered.

"Aww, Epiphany, you can tell the truth. The view is great isn't it? I mean, I know I'm irresistible," Dante joked.

"It looks like you're feeling better, too," Steve smiled at Dante.

"Yeah, well, he'll keep his arrogance in check around me if he knows what's good for him. I know how to use a gun, too, and I don't miss," Epiphany wasn't amused by Dante.

"Okay, no more gun or shooting references. And Dante, I don't want to have to tell you this more than once that you need to be as diligent in your rest as you are in running off your mouth.," Dr. Webber dictated.

"Oh, I'll make sure he keeps it in check," Lulu announced as she entered the room.

"What are you going to do to me if I don't?" Dante flirted back.

"Lulu, don't answer that. I don't want to be in the room," Dr. Webber said as he and Epiphany wrapped up their work. As Dr. Webber closed the door, he said, "The orderlies will be here in around an hour to move Dante. Get some rest before then."

"Sure, Doc," Dante said as he closed the door.

To Lulu, he turned and said, "Get over here so I can kiss you."

She did as she was told. Standing next to his bedside she leaned down low enough for him to pull her into a deep kiss. Lulu found it hard to pull away from Dante. The emotion in the kiss from him was so intoxicating that she wanted more than just his kiss. Knowing that the intensity of the kiss would only grow stronger and her defenses weaker, she pushed him away with her right hand on his right side, carefully avoiding his wound.

"Wait, wait. Slow down a little. I don't need you to have a heart attach on me," Lulu said as she pulled completely out of the kiss.

"I'll have a heart attack if we stop," he said, and used his right arm to pull her body onto the bed and to kiss her again. She let him kiss her more for a few moments before pushing herself away from him again.

"Why do you keep doing that? I want you and we only have an hour. I promise, I'll be gentle," Dante persisted.

He kissed her again, but she stopped him for real this time with a loud, "No. I will not jeopardize your recovery. I mean it, Dante. I want you, God, I so want you but not here, not now and not until you are one hundred percent better. I can't go through this again. I can't lose you again for any reason," tears were escaping Lulu's eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know, I know," he kissed her forehead and said slowly and softly, knowing exactly what she was afraid of.

"I'm just so lost without you. I just want all of you," he said.

"I know. And we have each other. You're still here, and we have time to do it right this time but after you are healed. Just promise me that you will take Dr. Webber's advice and be diligent in getting better. Everything else will fall into place," Lulu pleaded with Dante.

"I will. I promise," he said, and then taking her head in his hand, added, "I love you, Lulu Spencer."

"I love you Detective Dante Falconeri," she said and kissed him softly twice. "Now, how was your talk with Sonny?"

Dante looked down at his wound and was silent for a moment. He ran his fingers over the bandage then said, "Sonny is my father. He is not the one I wanted; but he's my father. I don't know if a relationship is possible and our lives have come to where they are so differently. I don't know if he ever had an out or a choice before now. But, regardless of all that and the fact that his DNA is in me, he stepped over the line when he shot an unarmed cop. He made that choice in that moment and it doesn't matter to me to know that he wouldn't have pulled the trigger if he knew I was his son first," he paused again then continued, "Because if it were anyone else, he still would've pulled the trigger. He made that choice and planned to do it regardless of who or how. So, my job as a cop, as a son, as a brother is to serve and protect and to uphold the law. In order to do that, my father, Sonny Corinthos, needs to be brought to justice. I will do what I have to make that happen."

"Even if it means sending your own father to jail for the rest of his life?" Lulu asked.

"Yes," Dante said. His final decision made.


	4. Ch 4: Dante's Plan Takes Shape

Dante's Opera, Ch 4 – Step One

Lulu had left in the middle of the night to go home, change and get back before Dante woke in the morning but her best-laid plans failed her and she ended up falling asleep. Dante felt a little disappointed that Lulu wasn't there when he awoke but that quickly faded when he realized that the time alone gave him a perfect opportunity to get the ball rolling. He picked up the phone next to his bedside and rang up Lucky on his cell. After several rings, Lucky picked up.

"Hey, Dante. Sorry it took so long. I had to find a quiet place. There were too many people who don't need know I'm talking to you," he said.

"I understand," Dante responded. "I need to talk to you about something."

"K, shoot," Lucky said.

"I have Sonny convinced that I'm not a cop and he can trust me. I expect him to arrange for me to recover at his house but I need a favor from you before that happens," Dante said.

"Okay, what do you have in mind?" Lucky asked, not sure of where his new partner was going with this.

"First, we both need new cell phones. They know these numbers. Second, you need to get Lulu out of here. Third…" Dante started.

"Wait. The cell phones I get. Why does Lulu need to go somewhere?" Lucky interrupted.

"Because I have a plan and it needs to look like Lulu has disappeared," Dante explained.

"Whoa! What are you talking about? I really don't like where you're going with this," Lucky interjected.

"I'll explain more later but right now all you need to do is figure out a way to get Lulu out of here unseen and make it look like she just disappeared. I'll take care of the rest," Dante said.

"There is no way I'm going to do this to my sister without more details. Did she agree to this? Does she even know?" Lucky asked, determined to get more info out of his sister's new boyfriend.

"No, not yet. I do plan to tell her but not all the details so whatever else I tell you, please don't tell her. She'll worry and more likely try to help and I just need her to not be involved. It will get messy," Dante said.

"Messy? Okay, now you're worrying me. You need to tell me the entire plan now or I'm not helping you at all. We can get Sonny another way. I'll blow you're cover before I let Lulu get hurt again, by anyone," Lucky demanded.

"Alright, but for now this stays between you and me only. Not Ronnie, not Mac. No one else can know – not yet. We'll bring them in when the time is right," Dante cautioned.

"Agreed. Now, what is this plan of yours and why does it require Lulu to disappear," Lucky whispered and walked even more into seclusion.

"First, we have to make sure everyone thinks Lulu has disappeared or, more precisely, been kidnapped. It has to look like it was foul play but that she's alive. I'll take care of the details of that. What I need you to do is to get her somewhere that is away from anywhere we lead people," Dante instructed.

"So she's not in any danger?" Lucky said, still a little confused.

"Right, yes she'll disappear but we're not going to lead anyone to her. Everyone just has to think that she's disappeared. And we have to be sold out to it as well. I'll work on the clues so you can be as genuine as possible as they are uncovered," Dante added.

"Okay, so why do we want everyone to think that Lulu's been kidnapped? How does that help us get Sonny?" Lucky asked.

"It doesn't, not yet," Dante answered.

"What? That doesn't make sense," Lucky said.

"It will. Let me finish," Dante took a deep breath then continued. "We need both Sonny and Jason to get involved and get distracted with finding her. The clues that I leave for them will definitely get them distracted enough to make some mistakes around me," Dante said.

"How are the clues going to distract them? What are the clues?" Lucky asked.

"That's the part I can't tell you," Dante said, then affirmed Lucky, "But you will know what I'm doing when you see the first clue. But don't lead them there right away. Distract away for a little bit. That should get Jason and Sonny to take the lead," Dante said.

"This sounds crazy, Dante," Lucky said, "But if I know you even a little bit, whatever it is you have planned sounds like it might work. I'm even confused."

"You're a good cop, Lucky," Dante affirmed again, "And I know when everything starts to happen that you'll figure out what I'm doing. I'll be on the inside; you'll be on the outside – for now. You'll know when to bring Ronnie and Mac in," Dante said.

"If you say so," Lucky said, then sighed over the phone.

"I know it sounds crazy but I know it will work. Sonny has to go to jail and has to make a mistake soon. And he will make a mistake…even if I have to force him into one," Dante said, with clenched teeth.

"I hope you know what you're doing. This is your father we're talking about. I can't believe that we covered up you're a cop after they found out. It was tricky, but it worked. I guess I have to believe that whatever your plan is will work, too. I just want to make sure you're prepared," Lucky said.

"Yes, I know what I'm doing. My father needs to be behind bars; and I'm going to be the one to put him there," Dante said.

"So when do you want all this to happen?" Lucky asked.

"As soon as possible," Dante said. A moment later, Lulu walked through the door.

"As soon as possible for what?" she smiled innocently.

"Oh, nothing," Dante said as soon as he hung up the phone. Lucky clued in that the conversation was over.

"Hey, I missed you when I woke up," he said smiling at her and putting his hand on her left hip caressing it.

"I know," she said disappointingly but still smiling, "I went home to shower and change and then to get you some shirts and things and fell asleep."

"I'm glad although I really don't want you away from me anymore. I have to wake up to you every morning from now on," Dante flirted.

"Every morning?" Lulu asked, flirtatiously back.

"Oh, yes," Dante said and added, "especially the first one when I get out of this hospital," he said, still smiling wide.

"That would mean I'd have to spend the night with you, alone, in your room," she whispered back, beginning to lean slowly towards his bedside.

"Uh, huh," Dante said, "You see, I get scared at night by myself so I'll need you to tuck me in and comfort me."

"Scared? What are you scared of – the dark?" Lulu asked playfully, her lips almost touching his.

"You see, I've been having these nightmares of a big bad wolf named Sonny coming in to shoot me," Dante started, kissing her three short times in the process.

"Oh, I see," Lulu said kissing him once. "So then I'm Little Red Riding Hood who's come to protect you?"

"Something like that," he whispered as he kissed her deeper this time.

She pulled away and said sensually, "I can get into that."

Dante made a small guttural noise in his throat in response and pulled her back to his lips. She let him kiss her for a bit before climbing on the side of his bed and cuddling with him. He pulled her a little closer into him and then kissed her forehead. Both still tired and worn from the last seven days, they fell asleep easily. Little did Lulu know that in a few hours, she'd disappear.


	5. Ch 5: Lucky Comes Through

Dante's Opera

Chapter Five: Lucky Comes Through

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

Lucky knocked lightly on Dante's closed door the next morning. When he entered, he saw Lulu sleeping soundly in the big soft cushioned chair in the corner of the room. Steve had insisted that if Dante was to get good rest that Lulu needed to stay out of his bed – even if Dante protested. He allowed Lulu to stay but threatened that Epiphany was on night duty and would be checking in periodically without warning. Lulu and Dante heeded Steve's instructions and slept apart for the night.

Dante had been awake for awhile and welcomed his love's brother and his new best friend into the room with a wave of his hand and a motion to stay quiet. Once Lucky was close to Dante's bedside, he whispered, "How did you sleep?"

"Okay, not as well as when she's here with me but okay," he said truthfully. "I know that may make you uncomfortable but I love your sister and she has been the only person in my life that I know I can trust wholeheartedly."

"No, I understand. She can be fierce when she needs to be but there is a reason why dad calls her cupcake, too. Lulu is her own person but has the same compassion that mom has…so I understand what you're saying," Lucky explained.

"Which is why I need you to help me get her safely away from here as this whole thing happens. Have you figured anything out yet?" Dante asked.

"Yeah, that's why I'm here. I have it set up for tomorrow. Does that give you enough time to do what you're going to do?" Lucky asked.

"Perfect. Yeah, it won't take too much to get started. I just need to convince Dr. Webber to release me by the day after," Dante said.

"The day after? Friday? How are you going to manage that?" Lucky asked confused.

"I don't know yet but I'll figure it out. I have to be mobile – at least a little bit," Dante said.

"Isn't it going to be too soon to get out of here? I mean, aren't you still a long way from recovering?" Lucky asked.

"Maybe but that will work in my favor. Dr. Webber said that I'm healing quicker than expected and I'm feeling better everyday. I had a lot of energy when I woke up. I also need to get out of this damn bed," Dante said.

"Oh, no you don't," Lulu said, having just woke up to hear Dante's bed comment.

"Hey, Lulu. Sleep well?" Lucky looked concerned at Dante and then to Lulu.

"Okay, I guess. This isn't as comfortable as that bed," she said turning to Dante. "And you need to stay in it."

"I know, I was just telling Lucky that I'm going a bit stir crazy in here. I need some more movement," Dante said defensively.

"Yeah, you have to realize us cops hate being in hospitals and are really bad patients," Lucky added, with the same concerned look.

"Okay, you're both acting strange. What's up?" Lulu asked.

"What, what do you mean? We're not acting strange," Lucky said, his arms crossed and motioning towards Dante as was his usual when trying to shrug something off.

"Don't get cute with me, Lucky. I know that something's up. And you know I'm not going to give up until I know what it is so you might as well tell me now," Lulu got up from the chair, walked to Dante's bedside and crossed her arms.

"Okay, okay. Lucky and I were just making plans on how we're going to take down Sonny," Dante said, somewhat truthfully.

"Oh. So what's the plan?" Lulu asked relaxing her suspicion and now curious at what the two were cooking up for Sonny.

"Well, we can't tell you," Lucky said, his arms crossed but he looked down briefly and scratched the back of his head with one hand as he spoke to Lulu.

"You two need to stop all this protecting me crap. I've had enough of it. I nearly killed Sonny myself in front of everyone in this hospital. So spill it," Lulu demanded.

"No. You can't know anything yet," Dante said truthfully. "But we will need your help at some point. I just can't tell you how or when or what yet. You just need to trust us," he said taking her hands in his and looking directly into Lulu's eyes, commanding her full attention. Lucky took the moment as a cue to slip Dante's untraceable cell phone under the covers by his feet so as not to make Lulu suspicious even more. Dante continued, "And you can't say anything…not even to my mom or Maxie or Mac or anyone. Not Morgan or your mom and especially not Carly. You can't let anyone know at all that anything might be going on. It's very important."

"Of course, I won't," she looked directly back at him but with softer eyes. "I promise that I won't do anything to mess anything up…whatever you guys are planning. I just wanted to know some details," she finished.

"And you will but now is not the time. I just need you with me here so I can see your beautiful face anytime I want," Dante smiled for the first time at Lulu.

"Okay, that is my cue to leave. I got the items you needed and they've been delivered. I'll check in soon," Lucky said to Dante. "See you later, sis," Lucky said to Lulu before he kissed her cheek and left.

"Items? What items?" Lulu asked Dante.

"Nevermind. Now just get here on this bed so I can hold that fantastic body of yours next to mine," Dante said, using her hips to pull her closer to the bed. Lulu laughed a bit, smiled and obliged the ruggedly handsome, muscular sexy man that she got to call her boyfriend. She settled in next to him and he wrapped his well-toned arms around her, securing Lulu in a way that was comfortable but she couldn't move. He needed to be with her every moment that he could now because tomorrow she'd be away from him for awhile. This was the one part of his plan that he hated. However, it was necessary and the most important piece of the puzzle that would bring Sonny, Jason and the entire organization to its knees – and maybe even a few others in the process.


	6. Ch 6: Lulu Goes Missing

Dante's Opera

Chapter Six: Lulu goes missing

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

Dante woke up Lulu from her slumber in the middle of the night. Lucky had come through earlier than planned, which worked out well for Dante. Getting Lulu to disappear was much easier in the middle of the night. There would be less people in the hospital and less suspicion.

"Lulu," Dante whispered in her ear loudly, trying to wake her up gently. He kissed her head then whispered again, "Lulu."

Lulu began to stir and rub his chest over the hospital gown. Her touch made him let out a deep breath even through the fabric. He was truly in love with this woman; the nearness of her and the caress of her hands were paradise to Dante. He was accustomed to her being so near to him that he realized she was his one and only support. His plan required that he separate himself from her; while at the same time protecting her. Dante would rather protect her with his body and in her presence than from a distance but that was not going to be possible. His plan would hurt him more than it would anyone else because he was to have no contact with her for a few weeks. At least, he was hoping it wasn't any more than a few weeks. It was really important that they didn't move too quickly or too slowly so they didn't raise suspicion.

Lulu's wide smile and sleepy eyes awakened Dante out of his inner reflection.

"Good morning, Dante," she said with her early morning, deep sexy voice.

"I love how you say my name and that you say my real name now," he responded as he kissed her forehead.

"Me, too. No more Dominic Perelli. I kind of like Dante Falconeri better," she flirted.

"Oh, really? I thought you said you loved me," he joked back.

"Oh, I do. I really, really do love you," she said as she crawled her way to a position where her face was right over his and her arms straddled his head. Then she leaned in and kissed him, holding his head in hers. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her to him. She broke the kiss briefly to say, "Careful," as she resisted their upper bodies from touching his wound.

"I'm okay," he broke away to say briefly, then pulled her into a deeper kiss and a complete connection of their bodies. Their kiss was uninterrupted for awhile. At least, until Lucky quietly turned the doorknob and entered Dante's hospital room almost unnoticed.

But Dante was highly trained and pulled away from their kiss as he heard the squeaky knob turn. Lulu was dazed a bit until she realized someone else had entered the room. She sat up from Dante and turned her body to its side, now able to see that Lucky was standing at the foot of the bed.

"Lucky?" Lulu asked confused. "What-what are you doing here?"

"Well, it's time for you and me to take a trip," he said.

"A trip?" she said then laughed. "What trip? I don't remember anything…"

"It's a surprise," Dante said, "from me."

"From you? What? In the middle of the night?" Lulu was fully awake now.

"Shhh," Lucky quieted her. "You're going to wake up the other patients," Lucky lied. He doubted she'd wake up other patients, but she would call attention to their little getaway if she didn't keep her voice down.

"I don't care about other patients," she obliged and whispered. "I only care about this one."

"I know and so I asked Lucky to set something up as a way to thank you for just being who you are and for defending me and protecting me and loving me," Dante said.

"But why do I have to go now?" Lulu asked, a bit suspicious.

"Because it's going to take us awhile to get there since we have to drive," Lucky said. "You're appointment is in four hours and it's almost a four-hour drive."

"An appointment?" she asked Dante.

"Sorry, can't tell you. It's a surprise. And Lucky is sworn to secrecy so he won't tell you either. You'll have to wait until you get there to find out. But you'll like it. I promise," he smiled at her.

She smiled back. He was so irresistible to her. "But I don't want to leave you here with Sonny and your mom and Jason. Jason – ," Lulu started to get concerned.

"Jason is not going to hurt Dante," Lucky said. "Sonny has forbid it and I've even threatened that if anything happens to Dante, I'll do what I need to do to put Jason behind bars, Jake or no Jake."

Lulu was still a bit suspicious but succumbed to the two men in her life. "Okay, but you are going to miss me," she told Dante.

"I already do," he said. She leaned down and kissed him again then got off the bed and followed Lucky out the door. Dante watched Lulu walk away, a pain already creeping into his chest. She turned to look at him and smile one last time before she closed the door. Dante let out a loud sigh as he laid his head back on the pillow. He'd give them an hour to be gone before he'd put his plan into motion. That would give Lucky enough time to set Lulu up to "disappear." She'd be considered missing before she even knew she was – he only hoped that she'd forgive him for all this when it was over. For now, she'd have to trust that he – and Lucky – knew what they were doing and that she'd be safer this way, far away from what was about to go down.

An hour later, true to his word to himself, Dante put his plan in motion. Lucky had really gone above and beyond with Dante's request. The picture he left behind was perfect. His new partner was a whiz on the computer – and now Dante knew he was great at manipulating photos electronically, too. The picture was of Lulu wearing exactly what she was wearing when she left Dante's room earlier, but she was lying in the chair in the hospital room from the night before. . She was blind-folded and her hands were tied together with rope, but she looked like she was peacefully resting in the chair. A swipe of red paint was dried across the photo.

When Dante was explaining the type of photo he wanted Lucky to find or "create," Dante knew Lucky was quickly figuring out part of the plan. He'd asked Dante yesterday afternoon on their new phones, "So, you want to make it look like Franco took Lulu, again?"

"Yes," Dante grinned, "See, I told you you'd put it together."

"Yeah, but why Franco? Why this way?" Lucky asked.

"Franco is central to the whole plan working," Dante said matter-of-factly.

"You want to smoke Franco out don't you?" Lucky said.

Dante just smiled.

"Why? What does that have to do with Sonny and Jason?" Lucky asked.

"You'll see. I really can't tell you anymore than that right now….just in case," Dante said.

"Just in case what? My sister is involved in this so you have to be honest with me, Dante," Lucky said.

"Just in case we have to do a last minute switch. I have to make sure that at least one of us can be flexible. The last thing I want is to pull you or Lulu farther into this than you need to be. The only person I'm willing to sacrifice is myself," Dante told Lucky truthfully.

"Okay, I'll let it go for now," Lucky said.

"Believe me. You will figure it out but when you do I need you to be able to switch gears, if needed. Bringing Franco into this whole thing, using him is extremely dangerous – "Dante started.

"And volatile. We don't know what he'll do," Lucky said.

"Exactly. So I need at least one of us to be available to continue if I have to go under," Dante said.

"I think I know what you are inferring. I get it. But I do have one question: why? Why all this complicated planning? Can't you just wait and watch and just get Sonny to trust you again?"

"No, that isn't enough. We need to bring Sonny's entire organization down and to do that we need to do something unexpected. Me staying undercover isn't going to get us much further now that everyone knows that I'm Sonny's son and that he shot me. Not only is that not helpful, but though Sonny thinks I'm not a cop, he's still going to be careful and he's not going to want me anywhere near the business now that I'm his long, lost son," Dante explained.

"Makes sense. Oh, my contact is on the other line. I'll call you when I have everything set up," Lucky said.

"Good," Dante said then added, "and Lucky? Thanks."

"No problem. I want Sonny as bad as you do now. Knowing what he almost did to Ethan and what he did to you, not knowing yet you were his son, I have no doubt he'd order a hit out on me if it threatened him regardless of his relationship with my father. Get some rest. Something tells me you're going to need it." Then Lucky hung up.

Dante reflected on that conversation for another few minutes then pushed his nurse's button. By the time Epiphany entered his room, he'd worked himself into a believable rage.

"What is it?" Epiphany said annoyed at first. Then her face changed to concern when she saw Dante so riled up.

"Dante, are you feeling okay?" Epiphany asked.

"Have you seen Lulu? Did you see her leave? Was she with anyone?" Dante asked hurriedly and nervously.

"No. Is something wrong? You are really worked up," she said.

"Yes, something is wrong," he almost yelled, "I think Franco has Lulu." He threw the picture at her. She took it and looked at it. Her eyes grew wide.

"Oh my God," she said with fear in her voice. "Where did you get this? This was taken last night from one of our cameras."

"I know. I'm a detective remember. He must've been watching her. He must've taken her while I was sleeping," he said, notably upset.

"We need to call Mac and Lucky," Epiphany said, starting to turn around and leave.

"No," Dante said, "I need to call Sonny. This is Jason's deal. He sparred with the SOB and he let him get away."

"This is a police matter, Dante," she said. "And since you're not a cop like we thought, then I'll not be listening to what you want or who you want to call. You're father has hurt enough people, you out of all of them should know that." Then she stormed out the door.

Dante smiled after her. He knew Epiphany wouldn't disappoint him. Not only would she get the police involved but she would be further proof to Sonny that Dante wasn't a cop. He'd have to thank her one day for her righteous and indignant personality, but for now he was fine with just watching her fall right into his trap.


	7. Ch 7: Undercover Dante, part 2

Dante's Opera

Chapter Seven: Undercover Dante, part 2

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

Dante's plan included lying to his siblings, again. Besides Lulu's part, he was the least excited about deceiving Michael, Morgan and Kristina. Dante truly believed with his entire being that their lives would be better without Sonny. They could have a real chance at a normal life – at least as normal that a kid with the last name of Corinthos could have. In that moment, his heart softened a bit towards his mother. If it wasn't for her, Dante would be a Corinthos, too. He didn't have to grow up like Michael, Morgan or Kristina and for that he would be eternally grateful to his mother.

Fifteen minutes after Epiphany waddled importantly out of Dante's room, Mac walked in. Dante's undercover work started at that moment. He'd have to fool Mac, too – at least for awhile.

"Good to see you more mobile, Detective Falconeri," the Chief of Police greeted under his breathe.

"Yeah, well, I wish I weren't in this bed at all. Lulu would be safe," Dante said, acting his part as the angry boyfriend.

"Hey, it's not your fault Dante. Franco is slippery. There wasn't even a whisper that he was even in the states. I don't even expect that a good cop like you would be able to have stopped him at this point," Mac said, trying to encourage his very talented but very angry detective.

"Maybe but if I were out of this bed I would be permanently attached to Lulu. That amazing woman is part of the reason I'm still here. I owe her my life," Dante argued truthfully.

"I get it but instead of beating yourself up, you need to put your detective skills to work and help us find Franco. You have a connection to this guy in more than one way at this point – and working with Jason the first time gave you good insight into this guy. So start helping me out here and stop being an angry boyfriend," Mac pointed out.

"Okay, okay…do you have the photo?" Dante asked, seeming exasperated.

"Yes, it looks like it was taken here," he handed it to Dante.

"Yeah, in that chair – last night – from one of the cameras," Dante said while looking around. "That one over there. We need to find out how someone can hack into the hospital system. Lucky's pretty good at all that computer stuff."

"No, let's leave Lucky out of this for now. No need to get him involved just yet; not when it involves his sister. He'll be angry at me but I can handle him. No we need someone who can do anything with a computer," Mac said.

"I know where you're going with this," Dante looked back.

"It's time Dante. You ready?" Mac asked.

"I've been ready since the moment I came out of anesthesia," Dante said sarcastically.

"Okay, then your first assignment is to make friends with Damian Spinelli and Jason Morgan soon after," Mac ordered.

Dante winced at the thought of befriending either of the two men, which he used loosely as a description. Spinelli was more of an annoying electronic robot under Jason's command and a coward. Dante knew Spinelli was aware of the events that were supposed to transpire during the christening and he did nothing to stop it. In Jason's case, he was a cold-blooded killer. Brain damage or no brain damage, he'd learned right from wrong by this point and continued to walk on the dark side. Jason made his choice. Dante made his. He'd make friends with both and take them both down.

Dante had little time to wait before Jason had got word through Spinelli that something was up at the police station. Within the hour, Jason arrived at his new partner and his boss' first-born hospital room. Dante's first real test had begun.

"Mac's already been here. What took you so long?" Dante said acting annoyed.

"It took a little longer than usual for Spinelli to hack into the system. They upgraded it after his last attempt. Didn't work though," Jason explained.

"Apparently not. I don't care about that though. This joker has Lulu again – and I'm not too happy about it," Dante said.

"I know. But what would Franco want with Lulu?" Jason asked.

"I don't know. You're the Franco genius. You've got the inside dish; you gotta know something," Dante said sarcastically.

"He may want to finish what he started," Jason stated.

"Nice. So my girlfriend is gonna get blown up again? Not gonna happen," Dante said as he started to throw covers off himself and get out of bed. He had the navy blue sweats and navy t-shirt on Lulu had brought him - and this time he was wearing boxers.

"What are you doing?" Jason asked.

"Getting Lulu back. Help me get out of here, Jason," Dante commanded.

"Spinelli's already working on it," Jason said as he got a call on his cell. "Yeah? Good. We're ready."

Jason turned to Dante, "Let's go."

"About time," Dante said as he walked slowly behind Jason.

His first test complete – though his stomach wanted to purge knowing his new best friend was Jason Morgan.


	8. Ch 8: Sonny's Firstborn

Dante's Opera

Chapter Eight: Sonny's Firstborn

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

Spinelli gave Jason and Dante a safe route out of the hospital by looping a few video cameras and giving Epiphany a bogus patient call.

"The roof?" Dante asked. "Does Spinelli not remember that I'm still recovering?"

"It's the best option for undetection. Besides, you seem to be okay," Jason pointed out.

"No thanks to Sonny," Dante said as he climbed on to the rickety stairs that would be their exit all the way down to Max and the waiting car. "I'm gonna kill Franco when I get my hands on him," Dante muttered.

"Not if I get to him first," Jason said. That's what I'm betting on, Dante thought to himself.

To Jason, he said aloud, "Doesn't matter who gets to him as long as he dies," Dante returned, starting to breathe a little hard.

"You okay?" Jason asked, noticing Dante had slowed a bit and his breathing was deeper.

"Fine. Get used it," Dante said him.

They didn't talk the rest of the way down. Dante thought to himself, I must've hit a nerve with that one. This is going better than I expected.

Jason got in the back with Dante as Max pulled away.

"Good to see you, man," Max said. "We're all real sorry for the mix-up. The boss is the most though. He's beside himself, as you might know."

"Yeah, I bet," Dante said back sarcastically.

"Hey, we all liked you. They really set you up good," Max responded. "I'm just glad it all worked out."

"Yeah, whatever. Just drive." Dante said.

"Wow, it's unreal how much you really are like Sonny. It's crazy that none of us saw it," Max commented.

"Max, just drive," Jason reiterated, himself getting annoyed at the kissing up.

"Got it," Max said, shutting his mouth for the rest of the drive.

Jason turned to Dante, "So tell me everything you know."

"I know next to nothing. I woke up and found this picture lying across my chest, lost a bit of my mind so Epiphany came in and proceeded to contact the police. Mac was here within fifteen minutes. By that point, I figured you already knew and were on your way," Dante said, truthfully.

"Why didn't you call us first?" Jason asked.

"Have you met Epiphany?" Dante asked back.

Jason responded with an annoyed look.

"Exactly, so let's just stop this stupid questioning and start thinking about how to get Lulu back from this nut job," Dante said.

"Spinelli is working on the video to see if he can find where the signal came from but so far he's got nothing," Jason said.

"Spinelli? So, he's not as good as you think then huh?" Dante said.

"Hey, he's the best at what he does. But this is Franco we're dealing with," Jason defended.

Dante took his Bensonhurt bad boy to the next level. "Sonny's right, you give this Franco guy too much credit man. You need to drop this honor crap and do your job. He's scum, eccentric and a thorn in my side. You should've killed him when you had the chance," Dante directed at Jason. He continued, not letting Jason get a word in, "And Spinelli? He's at fault for this hole in my chest. If he were as good as you all claim he is then he'd have seen past the pols fake claims that I was an undercover cop. Then maybe my father wouldn't have shot me point blank. And more than that, his 'original blonde one' wouldn't be missing because I wouldn't have been in the hospital unable to protect her!"

"It's too late to deal with that now. We have to get to Franco, and Spinelli can help us," Jason said.

"Whatever. So you have any ideas where he might've taken her this time?" Dante asked, rubbing his chest a bit.

"You sure you're okay?" Jason asked, noticing Dante's wince.

"Yeah, fine. Just answer my question," Dante said back sarcastically. "This I can deal with. Franco needs to be dealt with. I really could care less about anything else right now," Dante said truthfully. He really didn't care about Sonny or his itchy trigger-finger, which was really helpful in pulling this whole thing off. At least he didn't have to fake that.

At that moment, the car turned into the driveway and parked at the front of Sonny's compound. All three men got out of the car on their own volition and walked into the foyer.

"It's good to see you, son," Sonny said, looking directly at Dante.

"Cut the crap, Sonny. I'm not here to work out my daddy issues. We have one thing in common right now and that's Lulu. I care about nothing else. But I need your help to do it and you owe me at least that," Dante said.

"I'm sorry about that. I thought –" Sonny started but Dante stopped him.

"I'm sure you're real sorry but for now let's just keep all of our thoughts and concerns to finding Lulu and teaching Franco a lesson," Dante said, through gritted teeth.

At that moment, Jason's cell phone rang. He answered and hung up all in about 5 seconds.

"Spinelli's found something," he said.

"Let's go," Dante said as he headed back out the door, not wasting any time.

Sonny held Jason back for a moment, "Find Franco and this time, don't let him live. I don't care what he has on Michael. We'll deal with it, if we need to."

"Agreed. And Dante?" Jason asked.

"Use your judgment. He's smart. He's my son. Michael's his brother. If he knows, he might do it for us. If he does, make sure you cover his tracks. He's under my protection now. I don't want either of my sons in jail," Sonny commanded.

"Understood," Jason said and rushed out the door.


	9. Ch 9: Jason Makes Mistakes

Dante's Opera

Chapter Nine: Jason's makes mistakes

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

Dante grabbed the keys before Max could move and said, "Sorry, Max, but this time I drive and you stay put." He was in the car and ready to leave by the time Jason got to the front door.

"Let's go," Dante yelled at Jason, even though Dante knew there was nothing to truly be worried about. Lulu was fine; Lucky made sure of that. But he hoped Jason and Sonny – and maybe Franco – wouldn't be safe from The Law for too much longer. He just needed Jason to make a mistake and if he had a chance at doing that, it was right now.

"Head to Baker St. Spinelli's there," Jason directed.

"Baker St.?" Dante asked. "I live near there."

"Exactly. Franco left us a message," Jason said.

"What kind of message?" Dante said.

"The kind with spray paint. I don't know. I didn't see it. Spinelli just told me to meet him there to see it," Jason answered, using his hands and a bit annoyed at Dante's gruff questioning.

"Okay, okay," Dante said, "you don't have to get so snarky."

"It's Franco, man. He's frustrating," Jason said.

"Frustrating?" Dante asked. "Come on, Jason. You're like the number one killer, or have you forgotten that? Why does this guy get to you?"

"Because he's always a step ahead – and I have no idea why or how," Jason answered. "Anyway, now that I know I can trust you, maybe we can finally get this guy."

Mistake number one, Dante thought. He trusts me.

"How am I going to help, when you can't even figure him out?" Dante asked.

"For one, you're highly motivated to save Lulu. For another, you were there for most of it the first time around. You searched his place and figured out how he worked a bit. Sonny's right; you're smart. You know stuff in a way that Michael doesn't," Jason stopped short.

"I'm smart? Michael isn't?" Dante asked. "What does that mean?"

"Nevermind. Nothing," Jason said. "Just keep driving. The sooner we get there the sooner we can find Lulu."

"Oh, we'll get there soon enough but you need to answer my question. What were you talking about?" Dante demanded.

Jason let out a deep breath and gestured with his hands again. "Look, before we thought you were a cop or knew Sonny was your father, Sonny was ready to groom you to take over the business. You had the right attitude, the right head for the business. And Sonny never wanted Michael to run the business. He doesn't want any of his kids involved in the business. Then you came along and proved to be a worthy substitute," Jason explained.

Dante let Jason continue. "But now that you're Sonny's firstborn, he doesn't want you involved either. You're under his protection," Jason paused, "but he also knows that you're a grown man and found your way into the business even without his influence. Your instincts are exactly like his so he knows that he can't force you out of it just because you're his son. He has respect for you. But Michael, well, Michael has been too affected by the business and the violence in a way that makes him too volatile and vulnerable. He doesn't have what you have – namely Sonny's DNA. He's a Quartermaine; and AJ's personality and blood runs through him, not Sonny's. He'll never have the likeness to Sonny that you have – no matter how hard he tries. You are the best choice to take over when it's time."

As Jason spoke, Dante heard all the things he never wanted to hear about himself and Sonny. Even Jason had to admit that Dante, out of all of Sonny's kids, was the one most like him. The irony was not lost on Dante; and it didn't thrill him either. He was the one kid that Sonny had no influence over; and the only one who ended up the most like him (even though he was using it to put criminals away instead of becoming one). Dante decided to use Jason's blatant but honest comment on the relationship of Sonny to Dante to his advantage – soon he'd make Jason believe he wanted to run the organization, regardless of what Sonny wanted. He could use Jason on his side – he'd seen Jason and Sonny disagree and Dante would like nothing better than to pit the two against each other again. Add Franco into the mix, and Dante was hoping it was the right recipe to take down Sonny's organization.

"We're here," Jason said, bringing Dante out of his inner reflection.

Dante parked at the side of the building adjacent to his, half expecting to see the tag "CO77X" spray painted on it. Instead, he saw something worse: "LuLuX Take 2" with an arrow pointing towards his building. He immediately ran to it and headed up the elevator to his apartment. Jason and Spinelli were running behind him, Jason yelling "wait, it might be a trap," and Spinelli yelling, "Audacious One, wait!"

Dante paid no mind. He kept going like Lulu's life depended on it – even though it didn't. He let Jason and Spinelli catch up before he allowed himself to "find" the next clue. He handed it to Jason and said with an angry crack in his voice, "Franco dies and you're going to let me do it."

Jason took the picture from Dante and looked at it: the picture was black and white except for two items. In it, Lulu was blind-folded and posed lying on the ground. In one of her hands, she held a red rose. In the other, she held a remote. She was laying across a big red "X" painted on the cement floor. Dante's face grew angrier as he read the back of the photo in Jason's hand. Jason noticed Dante's expression and turned the picture over and read it: Hurry! Lulu moves, Lulu go Boom Boom.

A second later, Jason's cell phone rang. He answered it but didn't say anything.

"Hi, Jase. Long time, no kill," Franco's voice said on the other line.

Jason uttered, "Franco."

Inside, Dante smiled. Mistake number two. Thank you, Lucky, he thought. On the outside, Dante was getting angrier by the second; Spinelli and Jason were buying every moment of it.


	10. Ch 10: Franco Resurfaces, part 1

Dante's Opera

Chapter Ten: Franco Resurfaces, part 1

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

Jason quickly held up his hand to quiet any comment his two brethren might make and put Franco on speakerphone. "I was bored so I thought that I'd make our game go a little quicker since you're not really playing fair."

"Playing fair? What do you want Franco? Where's Lulu?" Jason yelled into the phone.

"Patience, my friend. Put Sonny Jr. on the phone…oh, wait, he can probably already hear me since you have me on speakerphone," Franco responded. "Oh, and hi Spinelli. Let's not leave you out. You followed my clues really well. I'm proud of you."

Dante had enough and yelled at Franco, "So now that we've all been reacquainted, what you want with Lulu? Why didn't you take Sam again?"

"Well, I thought about it but you know, and Jason knows this already, we had a nice long chat about it a few months ago. You see, I'm thinking that you're a much better adversary than he is. I mean, you reached Lulu in less time than I'd given Jason. I commend you for that. You have given me a true challenge," Franco monologues, "I mean, and Jason knows this as I already mentioned, I told him in one of our interesting but boring conversations that he disappointed me. He just didn't have the killer instinct that I thought he had. He lost it. I'm still interested in figuring out why but its boring me at the moment so I thought that maybe if I added you into the mix we might really have something here. And I think that I'm right, aren't I, Mr. Falconeri? Or do you prefer Corinthos? Or Falconeri-Corinthos?"

"I prefer you dead and I'm going to make sure that happens," Dante said, seething through his teeth.

Franco laughed, "Good show! I like it! I love it when I'm right. I do. I really do. But, I better let you all go. You have some work to do. Lulu can't be still forever. She's so pretty, too. Much prettier than that little tart Maxie. Good lay but she lacks Lulu's radiance. Maxie is reckless. Lulu is blindly courageous. It's sexy. If I weren't having so much fun with you three, I might try to woo her. She's the kind of girl you want to woo and settle down with. But I digress. Tootles!" The line went dead.

"Damn it, Jason," Dante cussed at Sonny's right hand man, "why didn't you kill him when you got the chance. This is your fault."

"There are things you don't know, Dante. I had to protect innocent people," Jason said.

"Innocent people? What the hell? You're a professional killer; you're not a cop or a hero or a secret agent!" Dante yelled.

"Michael!" Jason yelled in response. "I had to protect Michael!"

"What does Michael have to do with all this?" Dante asked, his surprise genuine.

"Do you think Mr. Sir would want you to…" Spinelli piped up. Jason stopped him.

"It's time. Dante needs to know," Jason said, looking at Spinelli. "Show him the picture."

"What do I need to know? What picture?" Dante asked, now confused and wondering what his little game was going to yield him that he wasn't prepared for.

Spinelli was sitting on Dante's couch, having put his laptop on the coffee table and was typing fervantly. He pressed on the last button with emphasis, and as he turned his laptop around towards Dante, said, "This picture."

Dante fell to a sitting position on the couch when he realized what he was seeing. "That's Michael over Claudia's body," Dante said in monotone.

"Sonny didn't kill Claudia," Spinelli started.

"Michael did," Jason finished.

Dante had hoped to find out from Jason, Spinelli or Sonny himself for sure that Sonny killed Claudia. But now that was off the table; the proof was positive. Michael killed Claudia. He was speechless for more than a moment. He wasn't sure what he could do with this. Michael's involvement in Claudia's murder was not part of his plan. But…his mind started to work this info about Michael into his plan at the same time Jason said, "Franco was at the cabin. He saw the whole thing. And he's been hanging it over our heads since."

Then it hit Dante – he needed Franco alive. Franco was now the key to all of this. He could put Jason and Sonny away for life. He witnessed the cover-up. He could've seen more than just Michael killing Claudia; he could've witnessed the details of the cover-up. But that still left Michael. He had to find a way to protect Michael. For now, he'd need to table those thoughts. No matter what surprise information he was handed, Dante had to keep his ruse up.

"What are you thinking Dante?" Jason asked.

Through the reveal, Dante's hands were covering his head and he was leaning over in his sitting position. He lifted his head at Jason's question and said, "I think Franco made a bigger mistake than he knows by threatening Michael. No one messes with my brothers or sister and gets away with it."

Jason smirked quickly. Sonny was right; Dante might do it for them. Little did he know that Sonny's firstborn was just given the last piece of the puzzle that would seal doom for Sonny's Organization – and he'd save Michael, Morgan and Kristina from their criminal father for good.

All because of a madman named Franco.


	11. Ch 11: Dante & Lucky Improvise

Dante's Opera

Chapter Eleven: Dante & Lucky Improvise

_Story continued from "Lulu Let's Them Have It!"_

Lucky hung up the phone after getting the new details from Dante. Michael? That really changed a few things but it was workable – now if only he could stop Lulu from asking anymore questions. He'd been inundated with his sister's curiosity since the moment they got in his car.

They were sitting in the spas waiting room now but the questions continued.

"Who was that on the phone?" Lulu asked.

"No one," Lucky said.

"It was someone…from work. Dante?" Lulu asked, a bit excited.

"No," Lucky lied. "It was another officer that I'm working a case with…he was just filling me in on his progress."

"No, it wasn't. It was Dante. I know my boyfriend's voice," she said.

"Okay, it was Dante but he was just making sure that you were being taken care of and I told him you were," Lucky said.

"He's so worried about me…but I'm more worried about him. There's something up with him, Lucky, and I think you know what it is," Lulu inquired to her brother.

"I don't know that anything is up with him – except for the fact that he has to deal with Sonny being his father and he still has to lie to everyone about his true profession to take Sonny down," Lucky said sarcastically.

"Okay, okay, so I know you're not going to tell me but…" Lulu started. She was cut off by her name being called.

"Miss Spencer? We're ready for you now," the receptionist said.

"Okay, so now you need to just forget about everything and just enjoy this spa day that he set up for you. He really loves you Lulu and only wants you to be happy and safe. So try to relax," Lucky said.

"I know," Lulu said then looked over at Lucky. "Safe? What did that mean?"

"Nothing, just a figure of speech. I guess that I just meant he is very protective of you, as he should be, and that you just need to trust him. Enjoy today," Lucky covered.

"Oh, I will. Are you leaving?" Lulu asked.

"Yes, just for a few hours. You'll be too busy here and you know I'm not one to hang around these kinds of places," Lucky said. Then his phone rang, "I have to get this. See ya," he said as he gave Lulu a kiss on the cheek and walked out of the salon.

Lulu waved goodbye but was close enough to his iphone to see that it was Dante calling. She knew there was something else going on but she wasn't going to worry about it. Dante set this up for her and she was going to enjoy his gift.

Lucky got in the car and answered the phone. "Okay, she's in her appointment and I'm safe in the car. I have four hours…what do you want me to do next? This Michael thing is hard to wrap my head around," Lucky said to Dante over the phone.

"We need to make sure Franco sees that Lulu is missing and he's been fingered for it. Have you had any luck there?" Dante asked.

"Yeah, my source at the TV station has been leaked the info…and the radio station. What about Jason and Sonny?" Lucky asked.

"Taken care of…in fact, I've gotta go. Jason's coming back inside. Spinelli thinks he's found something…just like we planned."

"Okay, I'll keep Lulu occupied once she's done," Lucky said.

"Good. She can't see the news report too soon. She'll blow her cover," Dante added.

"I know. I got it. Hey, gotta get going to do the other thing. I'll check in later," Lucky said.

Both hung up the phone without goodbyes; as cops they knew when the conversation was over.

Lucky headed immediately to Ryder's. His old friend was close by and he owed him a favor. Lucky was finally ready to collect.

Dante hung up just as Jason and Spinelli entered from the penthouse's terrace. He figured they'd already made plans without him but he wasn't worried about it; what he was worried about was how he'd protect Michael when everything hit the fan. Lucky needed to come through with his friend Ryder and Franco needed to take the bait Dante was laying for him. If both worked as he planned, everyone would be safe, and Franco, Jason and Sonny would be behind bars – for good.

"Did your contact come through?" Jason asked.

"Not yet but he will. I expect a call back from him within the hour," Dante said. If only they knew it was Lucky, he thought.

"Good. Spinelli found a possible lead to Franco's whereabouts. He's close by. Let's head out," Jason said.

"Lead the way," Dante said.

"Wait. May I have your attention for just a brief moment, Audacious One?" Spinelli halted.

"Spinelli, we have to go," Jason said exasperated.

"It's okay, Jason. What is it, Spinelli?" Dante asked.

"I want to apologize for my mistake. It's not like The Jackal to fall for such nefarious information. I'm sad to say that it was I that may have set your possible death into motion and for that I am truly sorry and grateful that Mr. Sir did not succeed in his deadly plan," Spinelli said, sheepishly.

"It's fine, Spinelli. No harm, no foul," Dante said back and messed his hair.

"You are most gracious, Audacious One," Spinelli said back. "If there is anything I can ever do, please do not hesitate to request the services of The Jackal."

"You're already doing it. We gotta go," Dante said truthfully.

He gave Spinelli a soft look before turning to follow Jason out. Dante knew how hard Spinelli would take it when his beloved Jason and Mr. Sir were thrown behind bars, and much due to Spinelli's help. As much as he liked Spinelli, he knew that if it were him or Jason, The Jackal would always defend Jason and not Mr. Sir's firstborn son. In fact, maybe all Spinelli needed was to be forced away from the two to have a more normal and less illegal life – well, as normal as someone like Damian Spinelli could.


	12. Ch 12: Lulu gets a shock

Lulu had to admit that she needed the respite away from the hospital. Between Dante getting beaten up by her brothers, getting hit by a car saving Morgan's life, and her being thawed out after the hours they both spent in the freezing cold water, the last thing she wanted to see for a good long while was the hospital. But now, here they both were, taking up residence again in this damn hospital, Dante with a bullet in his chest and she with a heart so full of love and concern that it was consuming her. It occurred to her humorously that maybe they just needed to move into the hospital, now that they all knew Sonny was Dante's father. Dante was in danger more so now than when he was undercover – not only did Jason want him dead, but so did all of Sonny's enemies. She knew her boyfriend was a wanted man more and more everyday. His job and his parentage would see to it that they wouldn't have much rest.

So, though she hated to be away from his side, she was also thankful for the peace and quiet. It only touched her more that he arranged for all this for her, too. But, there was something about it that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He did take care of her but she also knew him well enough now that she knew when something was up with him. It'd been subtle until Lucky showed up with this impromptu little trip. Lulu knew Dante wanted her out of the way for something he knew she wouldn't approve of...and possibly to protect her. What it could be was lost on her though as he was still recovering from a bullet wound and had no chance to continue in his police work to take Sonny down.

She turned her attention from trying to figure out her boyfriend's motivation to enjoying the relaxing body massage while thinking how Dante would love to be the one with his hands all over her. But the sexy thought passed as she heard her name come from the television screen. "Only daughter of infamous drifter Luke Spencer has been reported missing. Port Charles Police Department is not giving details to the disappear of Lulu Spencer but have confirmed that she is indeed missing. We'll keep you posted on this story as more information comes available. In World News..." the reporter continued.

"What?" Lulu yelled at the TV as she sat up on her table half naked. Hurriedly, she pulled the sheet around her and stared at the screen.

"Isn't that you?" her massage therapist asked.

"Yes, I think there's been a big mistake," Lulu responded, still staring at the television.

"Unless you're here under forceful means then I'd say someone has the wrong information," the masseuse commented.

"Yeah, you're telling me," Lulu said. "Can I have my phone?"

"I'll go get it for you," she said.

"Thanks, I have to call someone," Lulu said with slightly gritted teeth.

Lucky was on his way back to the Salon when he heard the radio report. He cussed to himself when he realized that the time was all wrong. He hoped that Lulu hadn't heard it or seen anything on television. Did he not understand the words, "don't do anything until I tell you to?" Obviously, something wasn't right but Lucky couldn't worry about it now. He had to get to Lulu before she found out. It was just too early for her to know.

Lucky was pulling up to the salon when his phone beckoned him. He looked at the screen: Lulu. Damn, he thought, she's already seen it! He was pissed at his friend's mistake but he couldn't do anything about it now. He had some fancy footwork to do with Lulu – and there she was right in front of him as he entered the salons main doors.

"Uh, so my little spa day wasn't just for me, was it? What's going on, Lucky?" Lulu said through slightly gritted teeth.

"We can't talk here. Go change and we'll go someplace where we can be alone," he said, pointing toward the back of the salon.

"Way ahead of you. I'm dressed enough and the rest of my clothes are in this bag. Let's go. I'll finish in the car," she stated, walking past him. Lucky noticed she was wearing a full-length robe and heels, her hair tied back in a ponytail, no makeup and she did seem to have everything else stuffed in her bag – as much as would fit – the rest was hanging out of it. Uh, oh. He knew this wasn't going to be easy.

As she slammed her door, Lucky opened his and slid in as calmly as he could. His sister was definitely mad – Spencer mad – and Spencer mad was hard to circumvent.

"Okay, so Lucky, start talking," Lulu said as he started the car.

"I'm not going to argue with you while I'm driving. Let me get us to where we need to go and then I'll tell you everything," Lucky responded level-headed and calmly.

Oh, how she hated when he did this – stayed calm even with her ranting at him. She wanted to hit him for whatever he got her into. And wondered what his plan was – or worse yet – what Dante's plan was. She was seriously hoping he was not behind all this but something within her just couldn't shake the feeling that this was all his idea. For what purpose, she didn't know but was determined to find out.

"You can talk and drive. So start talking," Lulu demanded.

Lucky stayed silent. He didn't even look her way and his face stayed calm.

"I hate when you do this. Tell me what's going on," Lulu demanded again.

Lucky wasn't swayed by his sister's commands. She was, after all, his sister and he knew how to ignore her if he needed to. It's what was fun about having a sister – he had a lot of practice in shutting out the opposite sex when the drama started to roll. He would thank Lulu for that gift someday – but today was not that day.

"Fine. This place better be close," Lulu gave up making demands on Lucky, knowing that as a brother he was just as annoying as being a good cop sometimes. She respected him for what he did but she hated how he was so good at it that she couldn't even get past his armor. They drove for another 25 minutes before Lucky turned off the highway on a frontage road then turned left onto a dirt road about a mile down. Lulu noticed that they were driving into a heavily forested area. The more they ventured into the woods the more she became uneasy and less angry. Where were they going? And why were they going there?

Lucky looked over at her sister about two miles into their dirt road detour and noticed her face had turned from anger to worry. "Don't worry. This place is safe and should keep you out of harm's way for now."

"For now? Lucky, what is going on? You are starting to scare me now," Lulu said, much calmer than their previous conversation.

"We're almost there. I'll tell you once we're inside," he said. As if on cue, a small cottage appeared before her eyes. Lucky pushed the garage button and parked in the one car garage, then closed it behind them.

"Welcome to your home – at least for a few days," he said.

Lulu got out of the car and started to open the door but Lucky yelled, "No, don't touch that yet. Hold on." He ran around the car to the door and pressed some buttons on the keypad to the right. The door automatically popped open a jar and he pushed it the rest of the way open. He motioned for Lulu to step through. "It's okay. You can go in now."

As she entered, she asked, "Lucky, what is this place?"

"It's a safe house. Actually, it's kind of a safe house. Only three people know about it -until now."

"Whose is it? The PCPD's?"

"No it's Dad's. Up till now only him, Mac and I knew of it's existence. And now, you and Dante. But no one else can know, okay?" Lucky said with a little emphasis.

"Okay," Lulu said almost oblivious to the urgency in Lucky's voice as she looked at her surroundings. Then as if being snapped out of a dream, she said, "Dad's? Dante knows? What?"

"Yeah, okay, so let's have a seat. There's a lot that I need to explain to you. And it starts first with the fact that you are technically kidnapped..." Lucky started.


	13. Ch 13: Lulu Knows All well, Most

"By who? You? Dante? I'm more than a little confused," Lulu said truthfully and with a little sarcasm in her voice.

"I know. First off, you'll be safe here. Dad made this place into like a mini Fort Knox – thanks to Tracy Quartermaine. So, whatever happens, just stay in here and you'll be fine. I'll give you the rundown of the place before I leave later," Lucky started.

"Leave? Where are you going?" Lulu asked.

"That's later. First, yes, this is Dante's idea. He's the one that came up with the whole plan -" Lucky stopped as Lulu interrupted, "Uh, plan? What plan?"

"If you stop interrupting then I can tell you everything," he said in his most brotherly sarcastic voice.

"Fine," Lulu said as she crossed her arms and glared at Lucky.

"Good," he said, then continued, "Now, Dante's plan – actually it's brilliant, he's a great undercover cop – anyway, his plan has the potential to put both Sonny and Jason behind bars and smoke out Franco," Lucky was interrupted again.

"Franco?" Lulu asked immediately.

"Yes, Franco," Lucky answered, exasperated at his sister's incessant interruptions. "In fact, that's who's kidnapped you."

"What? Are you serious?" Lulu asked, incredulous.

"Yep. Dante set the whole thing up from his hospital bed. It's ingenious really. But only he and I – and now you – know anything. Sonny, Jason, Mac and the entire PCPD think Franco's back and has kidnapped you," Lucky finished.

"But why? Why not tell Mac or the other police?"

"Have you forgotten so quickly? Think Lulu," Lucky said.

"Huh? Oooohhh, he's still undercover. But wait, that wouldn't matter if Mac knows he's still undercover, right?" Lulu asked.

"Right but Dante's convinced that in order for his plan to work, no one can know that he's setting up Franco until Franco actually comes out of hiding to either claim he did it or to try to prove that he didn't do it," Lucky explained.

"Okay, but why smoke out Franco to bust Jason and Sonny? How is that going to get them sent to jail?" Lulu asked.

"That I don't know exactly. But I'm guessing he's banking on being there when Jason and Sonny make a mistake while going after Franco," Lucky said.

"Being there? Whoa, am I missing something? Dante's in the hospital. He can't be anywhere," she said.

"Well, he's not in the hospital anymore," Lucky said plainly.

"What? Wait, where is he Lucky?" Lulu yelled at her brother.

"Now?" Lucky said as he looked down at his watch, "Well, he should be with Jason and Sonny at his loft following up on a bogus clue he set up for Spinelli to find."

"I think I might faint," Lulu said weakly.

"Sure, that couch is really comfy. If you faint, you'll have a nice place to land," he smiled at her.

Instead of fainting, she laid back on the couch and put her hands over her face. After a few moments of heavy breathing and calming herself, she asked, "So how did he get you to go along with this plan, especially with me involved?"

"You know Dante. He's very convincing. I think to you girls that translates as charm," he smiled again, walked over to her side and knelt down by the couch. "And so far, the man is dead on – even with you."

"With me?" she asked.

"Yep, he had a feeling that you'd find out early – even though I went to great pains to keep it from you for awhile. Guess he knew better," Lucky said.

"Yeah, he can be arrogant. Ugh, what is wrong with him? Can't he just lay in a bed and heal first and then go after Sonny? Why does he have to make me worry like this?" she said out loud, not expecting or wanting an answer.

"Face it, sis. You finally found a boyfriend worth our Spencer jeans. I knew it would happen one day – and I'm just glad it was a cop and not another mobster, or Quartermaine," he said as he lightly slapped her knee. Standing up, he added, "Okay, so now I have to show you how this place works so you don't lock yourself out or in or something like that."

"Where are you going again? And why am I staying here?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

"I can't tell you that – you just have to trust that we know what we're doing. You're here because this is the safest place for you right now and you're completely out of sight," Lucky said.

"But how long will I be here by myself? I mean, it's gonna be a little weird and frankly, a lot creepy," she said looking around her.

"I know but you won't be here by yourself for long. Probably about a day. Then you'll have company," he assured her.

"Who? Are you coming back? Dante?" Lulu asked, her voice softened when she said Dante.

"Unfortunately no. But I can't tell you who – but you'll recognize them and know they'll be okay. Just trust that we know what we're doing," he said again.

"I don't think I have a choice," Lulu said back, a little annoyed at her brother's lack of information.

"No, you don't. Now, I'm going to make us some dinner before I go. Then you should get to bed soon. You'll need to be rested by the time your company is here," Lucky said, then turned around and headed to the kitchen. Then yelling from the kitchen added, "You'll need the strength to do your part."

"My part?" she whispered to herself, not really asking Lucky because she didn't want to know yet, honestly. It was all a lot to take in. She laid back down on the couch, her hands on her hair this time. Her life is never boring, she thought to herself. She just hoped that Dante and Lucky truly knew what they were doing.


	14. Ch 14: The Surprise Visitor

Lulu was slowly going insane in the quiet house. She had the television, music and plenty of magazines but she was decidedly alone – and didn't like it. Honestly, it was kinda crazy how the silence was driving her crazy. She remembered two days ago when all she wanted was to find some peace and quiet for her and Dante from the nurses, doctors, friends, family and those dang, monotonous machines! Here she had the silence she craved – but it was all for naught as the person she wanted to spend these silent moments with was compromising his health by playing good cop/bad cop with the mob while flushing out Franco to make the biggest bust in his life all at once.

OOOOOHHH, he can make me so mad! Lulu yelled out loud to the ceiling. Fist clenched she hit the punching bag that stood in the corner of the living room. She knew Lucky must've had this installed. Since his last trip to rescue their father at parts unknown, he'd somehow picked up the sport of boxing. She had to admit that Lucky was getting the arms and legs to prove it too. He was no Dante, but her brother was beginning to not look so much like a beanpole. She was glad for it, too, because the stronger he was the more she didn't have to worry about him protecting himself as a hated cop.

This is exhilerating, she thought to herself. Realizing that it was relieving her stress, she kept punching the bag. Her knuckles were kind of beginning to hurt though. That must be why they wore those heavy gloves, she thought. Where were they anyway? She began to look around the bag for the big red mittens.

"Looking for these, cupcake?" the voice behind the words startled her and she hit her head on the table behind the punching bag she'd crawled under looking for the gloves.

"Ouch!" Lulu yelled as she adjusted and crawled out from under the table and was now looking directly at her father. Still seated on the floor and holding her head, "Dad. I should've known it was gonna be you."

"Yeah, your brother thought that maybe you'd need a little company. And I see I got here just in time to relieve the punching bag of your intense anger, which looks like was also doing a number on your knuckles," Luke Spencer said as he walked over to his daughter, held out his hands to her and pulled her to her feet.

"I plan on continuing my barrage of judo chops at this bag once I put these one," she said picked up the boxing gloves and put them on.

"So is it your brother or your boyfriend that we have this anger to thank for?"

"Both," she said then hit the bag. "And Jason." She hit it again, twice. "And let's not forget Dante's illustrious father, Sonny Corinthos, Jr." This time she hit the bag several times, allowing small bursts of grunts to expend with each hit.

"Remind me not to come up behind you in a dark alley," Luke told his daughter. She kept hitting the bag, not listening to a word he was saying. When she started to kick it, Luke reached for his daughter to stop her but she persisted to hit the bag. It took him cradling her tightly with his arms around hers and her torso and lifting her away from the bag still trying to hit and kick it. When he put her back down she turned into his arms and lowered her head against his chest and started to cry.

"There, there, cupcake. Daddy's here," Luke said as he cradled his daughter to him. After a few short minutes of crying, Lulu pulled away and turned her tear-stained, blood-shot eyes to her father, "I'm just so scared. Angry, yes but more so scared, Dad. He's just...they're just..." her words faltered.

"...a little crazy? You think this plan of Dante's is a little nuts, right? Well, Cupcake, so do I. But if anyone can get Sonny off the street, it's his own son."

Lulu had calmed and was moving to sit on the couch, "So, I'm a little confused." She finished sitting and looked back at her dad, "I thought you and Sonny were like best friends."

Luke took his time answering. He walked over to the chair next to the window. It looked slightly out toward the front window. He sad reflectively and rubbed the arms of the chair with his hands. "Well," he started, "here's how I see things now – I'm not a perfect man and neither is Sonny. But he has now put both my son's in danger – almost killed one without proof – shot his own unarmed son and you've been in more jams because of him than you ever are with me. There comes a time, sweetheart, when a man has to make a decision on who his friends are and if they're more important than his family." He stopped but Lulu could tell he wasn't finished. "Besides, there's some sort of cosmic karma going on here. Can you imagine Sonny put behind bars by his own son, who hates him? It's kinda poetic if you ask me." He then took the Cuban out of his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. He didn't light it.

"So, now you like Dante?" she said confused. "You make my head spin."

"I don't have to like Dante to want him to succeed in this nutty idea of his," Luke said as he examined the illegal cigar with his thumb, forefinger and eyes. "I don't know if I'll ever truly like him but I don't believe I hate him anymore," he said looking at his daughter with a wicked smile, then stuck the Cuban back in his mouth.

"It's a start," she said, smiling back at her father.


	15. Ch 15: Luke makes breakfast

After a short nap on the couch, Lulu woke to the smell of coffee, eggs and bacon. It was then that she realized it was morning. She hadn't been able to sleep and with Luke arriving in the middle of the night – as was his style – all sense of time was lost on her at this point. But the rumble of her stomach at the smell of the food was not lost on her – she hadn't eaten since Lucky made her dinner last night at 6 p.m. With her high metabolism, she ate much more frequently than what the last 24 hours had allowed her.

She got a wiff of something else that at first alluded her. What was that yummy, salty smell? "Mmmm," she said aloud trying to place it. As she got up to the walk to the kitchen, Luke got sight of his groggy daughter and greeted, "Smelled the bacon, huh? Breakfast is almost ready."

Sitting across from the stove on the bar, she saw the unplaceable smell: gravy. Yummy, yummy bacon gravy. As if on cue, the oven dinged and Luke walked over and opened it. Biscuits! Her father made her biscuits & gravy, eggs, bacon and coffee. To be honest, Luke wasn't much of a cook but he loved breakfast – and it just so happened that he could actually cook it fairly well.

"Oh, I'm in heaven aren't I? We've both died, been killed by Franco and Sonny and are now in heaven with you making me breakfast. Am I right?" Lulu joked with her father. He hadn't cooked for her since she was a kid. But she could tell he hadn't lost his bacon gravy touch.

"If this were Heaven, I wouldn't be here," he joked back. Lulu just smiled back as he handed her a plate piled hi with two biscuits drowned in gravy, three slices of bacon, two eggs and the biggest coffee cup she'd ever laid eyes on. "I figured you needed the bigger mug," he added.

Lulu laughed and then took a big swig of the liquid yumminess. Perfect. Well, almost, she though. If only Lucky and Dante were here and this whole crazy scheme was over. And her mom. Then this would be the perfect morning.

Luke watched as his daughter's face slowly turned downward as she swallowed her coffee. "Did I make it wrong?"

"No, it's perfect. This is perfect, but..." her words failed her for the second time in 12 hours.

"But he isn't here, is he?" Luke said point blank. "Oh, darlin, you have got it bad. I was hoping to never see this day but I knew it would come. I just wish I could've been better prepared." He reached down and took his coffee and drank a bit.

"You mean, that I've fallen in love?" she asked, expressionless.

"Yeah, that love thing. It gets ya honey and it won't let go – even if you want it to and do the best to will it away. Don't get me wrong, it's great at times but it can come with a lot of heartache," Luke added.

"I do love him, Dad. So much. So completely," she said and sighed. "I, I just don't want to lose him so soon."

"Lose him? Well, from what I've seen and what I now know about him, your boyfriend isn't going to go down very easily. In fact, it doesn't surprise me now that Dante survived that bullet from his dear old dad. Not now, anyway," Luke said, matter-of-factly.

Lulu raised her eyebrows, "Not now? What is it that you're saying? What do you know of him that I don't?" Luke asked.

"More than I should and nothing that you should. Cupcake, the only reason why I'm going along with this plan of Dante's is because I know he knows what he's doing. It's crazy, yes, but it's also brilliant. The boy is no dummy. He reminds me of your brother. Darlin, you finally found a man that is worth your Spencer gene," he raised his glass to her and took another drink. "Now eat your eggs. They're getting cold."

"But..." Lulu tried to protest.

"Nope. That's all I'm saying for now. I didn't make that bacon gravy for nothing. Only you, kitten," He interrupted. "We'll talk more when you're done eating. If we have time..." Lulu cut Luke off there.

"Time? What do you mean if we have time? Lucky didn't say anything about.." she started to say but was interrupted again.

"Lucky doesn't know about this part of Dante's plan. And he won't – for now. Don't worry, Cupcake, Dante knows what he's doing and I know what I'm doing. You'll be fine but you can't know everything. Just trust me and let it happen," Luke said then left the kitchen in an attempt quell his daughter's protests.

It worked. Lulu was too hungry to try to figure anything out. But once she was finished eating, she'd have all the energy she needed to get the truth out of her dad. She was a Spencer after all – and she knew her father's weaknesses. If there was anyone who could make him talk, she was it.


	16. Ch 16: Dante In Full Control

"Dante, calm down," Jason said with his usual monotone demeanor.

"I don't have to calm down! He has Lulu and he's toying with me. If it were Sam, you'd be going crazy by now," Dante yelled at him.

"Audacious One, Stone Cold is right. Franco is a master at his chosen profession in the macabre art and has honed his skills immeasurably. We need to keep our demeanor calm and not let him get the upper hand – as he is accustomed to doing," Spinelli chimed in.

"Spinelli, do you ever hear yourself speak?" Dante's face questioned the hacker. "Besides, nothing that you have ever done in regards to Franco worked. This time, it's about Lulu and we're doing it my way." He turned to Jason then and firmly said, "You may be a cold-blooded killer but he has your number. He knows how to manipulate you and make you second guess yourself. We're gonna let him do that."

"What?" Ever the control-freak, Jason leaned toward Dante and said just as firmly back, "That doesn't make any sense. You just said that nothing I've ever done has worked."

"It will now, because you won't be calling the shots. You're going to be the bait," Dante said calmly back, then finished with a slight smirk.

"The bait? Isn't Lulu the bait for us? Wouldn't he want you?" Jason asked.

"Not exactly. Think about it, why would he want to take Lulu?" Dante asked.

"The Jackal is not following your logic as well. What are Stone Cold and I missing?" Spinelli chimed in.

"Guys, you're thinking too deep! Has Franco ever not made everything he's about obvious?" Dante questioned back.

"Yes, it was always right under our noses. So. What are you getting at?" Jason asked.

"What is Lulu to Franco? Not to me or you..." Dante trailed off.

"Well, both her and Sam escaped so that can't be it," Spinelli said.

"What did Lulu escape that Sam didn't have to?" Dante asked them both again.

"Oh my God," Jason said, "Death."

"Yes. He failed this time. But it's too easy to just kill her, isn't it? I mean, he wants it to be a game. You and I know that all too well, Jason," Dante said, knowing that now he had taken complete control of both Jason and Spinelli.

"Yeah, yeah. Now he knows that with Lulu he has you to play with too," Jason said, finally getting it.

"And with a mind like Franco's, what better way to win the game than to beat not only Stone Cold but the Audacious One, the boyfriend that foiled his dastardly, well-mapped plan," Spinelli added.

"Right. So now do you understand why I'm a little crazy about this. He wants to kill Lulu this time and he means to do it. We have to come at this from a different perspective so we knock the bastard off of his damn pedestal," Dante said through clinched teeth. Just then Dante's phone rang.

"Falconeri," he answered.

"So, it's done. Visitor's arrived."

"Thanks, I really appreciate the help, Lucky. Let me know what you find," Dante said then hung up the phone.

"That was Lucky?" Jason asked. "When did you call Lucky?"

"Before you broke me out of my hospital prison. I figured we could use a cop on our side – and Lucky hasn't always been a cop. He'll know how to work the system," Dante said.

"But Lucky is on the side of the law now and he doesn't always look the other way," Spinelli added.

"No, Spinelli, but Lucky is the only on the force that will do what he can to help. Dante's right. It's a little crazy but it could work," Jason added.

"And it's for Lulu. Lucky will do whatever we need him to so he gets his sister back," Dante reminded them.

"So what is he working on?" Jason said.

"Forensic-type stuff. He's gonna make sure that what the police have, we have too," Dante said.

"Good idea," Jason added.

"I know. That's why I'm calling the shots. Now let's get out of here. There's one more person I need to help us if my plan is going to work the way I need it to," Dante said to both of them, heading for his front door.

"Who is this very important person you speak of?" Spinelli asked intrigued.

Dante turned around on his heels as the elevator door opened, looked directly at them with a straight face and said, "My father."


	17. Ch 17: Ducky In Force

Ducky In Force

Dante headed out to the terrace after they arrived at Sonny's compound finding Sonny gone. And with a simple statement of "I need to make a call" he made his exit.

Jason and Spinelli didn't raise an eyebrow – Dante heard Jason begin the normal barking orders to Spinelli and knew he had time to talk to Lucky again.

"Detective Spencer."

"Yeah, Lucky, it's me. How did it go?"

"Like we thought. She was angry then understood then scared then just tired. Dad's there with her now," Lucky responded.

"Good. He'll be good for her. Now, what are we gonna do about Michael?"

"I've been thinking about that and I may have come up with an idea. It's a long shot but if your crazy plan is already working then this might," Lucky said.

"So, what are you thinkin?" Dante asked, definitely intrigued.

"There is no evidence except for the picture that Michael was ever there, right?" Lucky asked.

"Right. Jason said that Franco was there and took the pic but he'd only seen the one – didn't see any others in Franco's files," Dante said.

"Good. So, if we can assume that there isn't anything else then you or I need to make sure we get to Franco's files before anyone else does," Lucky said.

"And get rid of it," Dante finished.

"Exactly. It's tricky and has to happen fast but it can be done," Lucky said.

"No, you can do it, Whiz Kid," Dante said.

"Alright, I'll do it but I'll need you to stall for as long as possible and it has to happen before they figure out we set the whole thing up," Lucky informed.

"Okay, I'll take care of that. You just put those fast fingers and IT skills to work so my brother is spared from the burden that is his last name- for once," Dante said.

"I hear ya. Michael does not need to go down for this," Lucky agreed.

"Agreed. K. This call has been going on long enough. I'll see you tomorrow. You remember what to do, right?" Dante asked.

"Yep. Piece of Cake," Lucky responded.

"Cupcake," Dante laughed.

"Dad calls her that. I'm not sure she wants you to," Lucky said.

"I know but it's fun to tease her," Dante smiled.

"Don't tease too much. My sister is a tough cookie. Vulnerable but tough. She recovers quickly; and she fights back harder," Lucky said.

"I know. I'm counting on that," Dante answered.

"Counting on it? Whoa, what does that mean?" Lucky asked, surprised at Dante's words.

"Hey, man. Don't worry. Just making an observation and a comment," Dante answered smoothly.

"Don't make me worry about my sister. I'm on board but the minute I feel she's in trouble, Dante, I swear," Lucky started.

"Chill, Lucky. Nothing is gonna happen to Lulu. It's going to work out fine," Dante calmed.

"What's gonna work out fine?" Spinelli asked from behind Dante.

"Lucky, gotta go. Thanks for getting back to me so fast," Dante spoke back into the phone.

"Gotcha" was the last thing Dante heard from Lucky as he hung up.

"Lucky is just as worried as all of us are. He doesn't want anything to happen to his sister. I was just trying to calm him. We all need to try to be calm," Dante covered.

"Agreed. I feel for the elder Spencer brother. The Original Blonde One does not deserve such heinousness!" Spinelli yelled.

"Whoa, whoa, Spinelli. Chill. What did you find out? Anything?" Dante changed the subject.

"Something that you will find very interesting," Spinelli answered then opened up his laptop and turned it towards Dante. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.


	18. Ch 18: Franco joins The Game

It was so much better than he expected – and it worked quicker than he expected. He and Lucky would have to push up their plan.

"Freakin bastard!" Dante whisper-yelled at the video of Franco giving a press conference.

Spinelli continued, "He says in it that he hasn't done anything wrong but is a willing participant in the game. That he'd play along. Do you know why he is saying that?"

"Don't you? It's a clue for Jason. Of course he's not going to admit it outright to a room full of reporters!" Dante retorted, annoyed at Spinelli's lack of imagination. "Has Jason seen it yet?"

"No. Sonny came back and they're talking about the plan of yours," Spinelli said.

"So you came to me first? Why? Why not Jason?" Dante questioned Spin carefully.

"Because it seems that The Audacious One has a handle on Franco and Franco has a handle on Stone Cold," Spinelli answered truthfully. "He's taken Lulu this time – and I know and can see the love the two of you share. You won't be unsure of what you must do when given an ultimatum."

"You're right. I won't. Now let me listen to the press conference again. The place was familiar. I think I might know where he's broadcasting from," Dante said.

Spinelli replayed the tape as Jason and Sonny joined them on the terrace. "What is this?" Sonny asked immediately.

"Our ticket to find Lulu and rid ourselves of Franco," Dante responded. "I need to go pay a friend a visit." He started to leave through Sonny's backyard.

"Why are you going that way?" Jason asked. "And I'm coming with you."

"If I'm right, Franco's watching us. The less he knows of where I'm going the better – even if I have to go on foot. And, no, you aren't going with me," Dante answered plainly.

"I am," Jason said back.

"No, my friend doesn't like you. You're just gonna get in the way. Trust me," Dante said and left without allowing Jason to respond.

Jason started to follow but Sonny held him back, "Leave him be. We can trust him." He looked at Spinelli and then back at Jason, "We can trust him."

Luke settled his only daughter in the back seat of the unmarked Bonneville and fastened her sleep belt. She was in a deep sleep – and not a natural one.

"Sorry, Cupcake, but this is the only way to get you to safety without you seeing where we're going – or fighting us every step along the way," Luke said to his Benedryl-filled daughter. Her sensitivity to the allergy drug came in handy when he was asked to get Lulu out of the house without her knowing or seeing anything. It had been very difficult for Luke to figure out how to fulfill Dante's request without using illegal drugs. He still wasn't fond of how he had to knock her out – but at least it was a medicine that only made her sleep and wouldn't have any other effects. He just needed forty-five minutes. Just forty-five minutes.

"Okay, sweetheart, let's go see a man about a kidnapping," Luke said as he put the car in gear and left his home away from home. If he was right, he had less than forty-five minutes – judging from the press conference. Dante would be leaving the next clue right about now – and Luke had to get her to the new place before Jason and Sonny – and Franco – found it.


	19. Ch 19: Reunited

The first thing Dante saw when he reached the cabin was Luke. Luke held out his hand to Dante. Dante took it and they shook hands like men who respected the other.

"You're plan is working, man, and I couldn't be more pleased," Luke complimented, the Cuban still in his mouth.

"That legal?" Dante smirked as he pointed to the contraband.

"We all have our vices," Luke smiled back.

"Where is she?" Dante asked.

"On the couch. Should be waking up soon," Luke said as Dante walked into the cabin, closed the door behind him and headed to the middle of the living room.

"What did you give her?" Dante asked as he knelt down and tucked a stray hair behind Lulu's right ear. "Did you drug her?"

"No, well, not really. Benedryl always has that affect on her," Luke informed him.

"Good to know," Dante said, not taking his eyes off of her.

"You know she may be a bit upset about all this," Luke gestured around him.

"I know. I expect that," Dante said matter-of-factly, while brushing his fingers over her back.

"Then I guess I should be going now. If this thing is gonna work," Luke started.

"You need to disappear again," Dante finished.

"See you when you and Lucky send the devils home," Luke said and started to leave. "Oh, and Detective," he added before closing the door behind him, "take care of my cupcake."

"Always," Dante answered looking directly at Lulu. He heard the door close behind him.

It took another ten minutes, but the gorgeous woman lying spralled on the couch began to stir. Here we go, he thought. Time to fess up to the woman I love – and hope she doesn't kill me in the process.

"Dante?" her eyes fluttered open and focused on the handsome face before her.

"Hi, beautiful," he huskily whispered.

"Dante!" She yelled and jumped off the couch and onto his laugh, knocking him flat to the floor straddling him.

"Whoa! Be careful – I'm still healing," he said with a slight laugh then looked at the woman he was blindly, desperately and deeply in love with. "Wait, I take that back, I think this position has the possibility to heal me in ways that I can't possibly imagine."

She laughed, "Oh, I think you have plenty of imagination."

They just stared at each other for a moment before she said, "I missed you."

"I missed you so damn much," he said back then brought her head to his so his lips could cover hers. He held her there with his hands caressing her neck, head and back. He gently massaged her lips with his before he pressed them harder. She responded by taking her tongue and encouraging him to open his mouth wider. He reacted immediately and their kiss turned hungry, sensual and insistant.

Her hands caressed his face then ran down to his heaving chest. Though her touch was gentle over his shirt, it was enough to stir his loins and she felt him grow a bit hard against her thigh. She smiled and chuckled slightly in his mouth, moving her fingers over to his buttoned shirt. As she began to unbutton his shirt, she pulled her tongue out of his mouth but not her lips as she whispered on his through light kisses, "I see you are sensitive to my touch." When she had unbuttoned his shirt just enough to see the bottom of his bandage, she moved her mouth away from his and trailed kisses down his chin, his neck and all around the bandage.

He closed his eyes and felt her lips on his skin, relishing in the moment and in the thought he was the luckiest man alive that this incredible woman was in love with him. He laughed slightly to himself at the alive part of that thought. She brought her head back to his and questioned, "What's so funny?"

He shook his head and then brought his lips to hers in an effort to quell her desire for an answer. He pulled away, and said, "I love you, Lulu, so much," then kissed her again. He let the kiss linger for a bit and then made himself pull away again. "But if we don't stop now, we're not going to – and that would ruin this intricate plan of mine," he added slightly breathy, as she had continued her gently assault on his still sensitive skin around the hole in his chest. The brush of her lips and the light kisses and licking were turning him on.

"Am I doing anything wrong, Officer," she said through slightly breathy words herself, continuing her assault. She wanted to devour this man all of a sudden – ever certain of the uncertainty of their lives.

"Oh, not wrong, not wrong at all," he responded with a slightly cracking voice. He cleared his throat and then with a renewed resolve brought her with a slight harshness to his face and said plainly, "But there is a madman out there that is now part of my plan and we have to talk about what's going to happen next." He kissed her quickly and then put his arms around her, lifting her off of him and back onto the couch and then walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out two water bottles.

Lulu adjusted herself on the couch and for the first time got a glimpse around her.. "Wait..." she said slowly. "Dante?"

"Yeah?" he answered back, bringing her the water.

"Where are we? This isn't dad's..." she looked at him confused.

"No it isn't and that I can't tell you," Dante answered.

"Did he bring me here? How?" Lulu questioned.

"Apparently, you're as sensitive to Benedryl and I am to your touch," he smiled at her seductively.

"Ha ha, funny," she said back sarcastically. "But why? Why go through all that?"

"Lulu, you can't know much of anything. It won't work if you know too much. It has to be real," he said, truthfully.

"Real? What do you mean 'real'?" Lulu asked, sitting at full attention now and searching his eyes in detail with hers.

"That's why you're here. It's time that you took your place in the game," he said, looking at her ernestly and laying a hand on her knee gave her one of the water bottles. "Start drinking this. You'll need to be well-hydrated."

She looked at him but didn't ask anything. She took a swig. "Good, now I need you to stay calm as I explain everything."

She didn't respond. She took another drink of the water, put it on the coffee table then sat back and crossed her arms.

"I'm not gonna like this am I?" she asked.

"I don't know. You might – if you ever have wanted to explore your Spencer side, that is," he smiled at her slyly.


	20. Ch 20: Dante Fills Lulu in

Dante's smile faded as he saw her confused reaction to his Spencer comment. Okay, he thought to himself, this is make it or break it time. Once Lulu knew, she held the success of the whole plan in her hands. He truly needed her for everything to work.

"So, Detective, you've gone a bit too quiet," Lulu said slowly, "are you gonna tell me what exactly is going on?"

Dante took a deep breathe then looked directly at her, "You are gonna meet Franco face to face again."

"What?" she exclaimed with her mouth, body and eyes all in agreement. He thought she just might launch from her seat on the couch and finish what Sonny started. But she didn't. As quickly as she yelled, she also calmed herself just as fast and then calmly, but carefully added, "Sorry, I should let you explain."

"Thanks," he said shakily. "Um, the plan is to lead Franco to you so Jason and Sonny genuinely believe that he's the one that's kidnapped you. All we need is a picture. He won't be around for long. I promise," he leaned towards Lulu from the big chair and put his hand on her knee, looking to comfort her.

She didn't move or change her demeanor. "How long do you need? And why do you need a picture?"

"Only to make it all look real. Then Franco will be discreetly ushered away where you will never see him again," Dante explained.

"Who's doing this ushering?" Lulu asked now intrigued. "I thought that only Dad, Lucky -" she trailed off. "Is Lucky gonna stop Franco? Dante, tell me it's not Lucky," Lulu asked him, visually concerned.

"No. Lucky won't be there," Dante answered truthfully. Lucky wouldn't be there; though he would also come face to face with Franco. That was the only part Lulu couldn't know about.

"Then who?" Lulu answered.

"The good guys – and that's all I can say about that," he adjusted himself in the chair and then leaned again to here. "What I need to know is if you can handle Franco."

"How do I need to handle him? What do you want me to do?" Lulu asked, genuinely uncertain of what Dante was asking of her.

"I need you to provoke him," Dante said firmly.

"Provoke him? How?" Lulu asked.

"I need you to get him to incriminate himself without saying that he isn't really behind this. He has to believe that this was all his idea – or at least say it is and steal it. He loves notoriety and I've already gotten him to play 'the game' as he calls it. If you can get him talking then I know we'll have enough time to take a picture. If you can get him to incriminate himself, too, then that will send him behind bars for the rest of his life with no parole." Dante stopped there and then cleared his throat. "But if after a few minutes, you can't then don't keep trying. The pic is the most important – not the confession. The less time you are alone with him the better – so you have to promise me, right now, that if you decide to do this with me, that you will stop after five minutes. You can not give him any indication that this is all fake. If you don't get a confession right away, stop." He was firm with his words and stared straight at her with the most intense eyes that she'd ever seen. "Promise me."

"I promise," she said confidently. "I'll do it – but why? Why did you choose Franco?" Lulu asked.

"For one, the bastard almost blew you up and he needs to go to jail for a very long time. And it just so happens that he has Jason's number. Plus, it's about time the good guys were calling all the shots," Dante answered, physically upset when he answered her and thought of finding her strapped to a bomb.

"So you're supposed to be a good guy?" Lulu asked, a slight smile creeping onto her face. "Because from what you tried to do to me a few times in your hospital bed, well, I'd say you can be a very bad guy."

He cracked a wide smile across his face as his eyes watched hers go from stone to sparkling with each word she spoke. Damn, the woman could turn his insides to mush with a simple look.

Lulu giggled at Dante's reaction to her comment and left the couch to sit across his lap on the chair, her long legs hanging curled on top of his lap and her right arm cradling his left shoulder and neck. E placed his right hand on her left thigh and gently stroked her bare skin. She looked into his eyes while rubbing his fingers up and down his neck, "I'll do it – gladly. I want to pay him back for the hell he put me through. But you have to promise me one thing."

"What?" he asked, his breath getting heavier with her gentle touch, the look of light of her hazel eyes, just the nearness of her.

"That you will be safe, too. This could all backfire on you, Dante. You are going after three dangerous men. A number of things can go wrong. Please promise me you'll find a way out of this if it goes bad," Lulu questioned him with her eyes.

"I will be fine. Trust me," he said to her.

"Promise me, Dante. I do trust you but that doesn't mean I trust them. You're good; I'll give you that. But you need to promise me you won't let your pride get in the way of your life. Because it isn't just yours anymore. It's partly mine, too," she said, moving her left hand to touch his right cheek. She kept it there, partly cradling his head in her hands.

"So, Lesley Lu Spencer, you admit that you belong to me. I like it," he said smiling again.

"No, you belong to me. And, hey, how do you know my full name?" Lulu asked a bit surprised.

"Your dad is an intriguing man. He knows a lot of very interesting information," Dante continued his smile assault. She could never be mad at him when he smiled like that. In fact, she couldn't take it any longer and, keeping hands exactly where they were, brought her lips to Dante's. He didn't take over the kiss. He let the warmth of her lips slowly consume him. Her kiss was soulful, sensual and turning him on – especially that little thing she did with his lips, sucking lower then up and slowly licking each one lightly until his lower brain was so hard and full that his normally loose jeans were suddenly constricting him unrepentantly. No other woman had made him react so completely with a mere series of short kisses.

He gently pulled his lips from hers and said with a husky low, whisper, "If you keep this up, the plan will definitely blow up in my face."

"Do you promise, Officer?" she said back. Her voice was sultry and her eyes dripped of sex. He wasn't meaning it in a sexual manner but she was so into the kiss that she couldn't think of anything else.

"Lesley Lu Spencer, you are a naughty girl. You know what I meant," he said as he tried to resist her advances. She'd moved her amazing tongue and lips to work his ear – sucking and licking as her left hand rubbed across his abdomen.

"I can't help it, you make me want to be bad," she said as she slid her left hand even lower and beneath his pants as she returned her lips to his and kissed him harder. Before she could do anything more, Dante's phone rang and he shot up off the couch, pushing her off of him as he lunged for his phone.

"Saved by the bell," she said looking him up and down and then settling on the bulge still lingering under his pants.

"Falconeri," he answered, half-smiling at her, half-relieved at the interruption. They couldn't do that here because there was no time – and when they did finally get together he wanted to take his time exploring every inch of her body and showing her exactly how glorious and perfect she was – and how in love with her he was.

"We found another clue. Where are you? We'll come get you," Jason talked back in the phone.

"I found it too. I'm already headed there now," Dante said back.

"How did you find it?" Jason asked.

"It's like I told you, I thought he was watching us and he is obviously," Dante lied. "It a little house right with coordinates on the side of the picture, right?"

"Exactly," Jason said.

"I'll meet you there," Dante said then hung up.

"A little house? Is it Dad's?" Lulu asked.

"Yep, but it won't be for long," Dante said.

"Huh?" Lulu questioned.

"Nevermind. This you don't need to know. What you do need to know is that the next person you'll see is Lucky – and then Franco. And you'll know when I'm here," Dante said, checking his gun and returning it to his holster.

"Dante, be careful. I love you," Lulu said, as she walked over to him and kissed him twice.

"Always and I love you more," he kissed her back – but this time he pulled her tightly to him and emptied all of his emotion for her into the kiss – he didn't let her control any part of it this time. It was gentle and voracious all at once. When he pulled away, he pressed a kiss slowly on her forehead and then left the PCPD safehouse, locking it behind him.


	21. Ch 21: Franco's met his match

Lucky watched Dante leave the cabin and then waited five minutes before walking toward the cabin, knowing he was being watched. Here we go, he thought. Dante's been dead on so far, let's see if he's still right.

Lucky knocked on the door to the cabin. There was no answer. He knocked a second time. Still no answer. Withdrawing his gun, he kicked the door in and began acting.

Lulu was there; but there was a man standing behind her. She was frozen in place, a gun pointed in her neck, pressing against it.

"Well, hello, Detective Spencer. You're a little late. You weren't supposed to be here, were you?" the crazy artist smirked.

"Franco."

"That's my name. Don't wear it out." Then Franco laughed. "Your buddy Dante is a very smart man – he was able to fool me for a little while. Jason couldn't do that. I tip my hat to him. He is proving to be a worthy opponent."

"So how did you figure it out?" Lucky finally spoke, keeping his gun trained on Franco.

"Now if I told you that I'd have to kill you, right? An artist never reveals his secret, or is that a magician? I always forget. It doesn't matter, one of you is going to die and it doesn't matter to me who...just as long as it sends Dante running back." He smirked.

It was Lucky's turn to smile. "What makes you think he isn't here already?"

Lucky watched Franco's eyes waver in confidence, and he blinked for the first time.

Then Franco laughed, "Good one, Detective. You had me going there for a moment. You Port Charles detectives are pretty fun to play with."

"I'm glad you think so," a husky voice came from behind him, "because we're not done playing with you."

"Dante!" Lulu exclaimed in a half-whisper, half-scream.

"Hi, baby." Dante responded. "Franco, lower your weapon."

"I'm disappointed in you, Dante. That was so predictable. Lower my weapon? Do you think I'm that dense?"

"No, but you should know that I got what I need and have no use for you anymore...and I hate playing games. I'd rather just kill you and bury your body. I know that Lulu and Lucky won't tell," Dante said matter-of-factly.

"You wouldn't do that. You're not like your father," Franco retorted.

"You're exactly right, Franco. My father wouldn't get his hands dirty but I would – and you already know that don't you," Dante responded, his voice never wavering. The other three in the room heard a metal click.

"Dante," Lucky started, "you don't have to do this. We have what we need."

"Sorry, Lucky," Dante said. "This is one scumbag that doesn't deserve justice." Then he pulled the trigger. Lulu screamed as she felt an immediate release of Franco's hands around her neck and the cold metal gun remove from her neck. She rushed towards Lucky and turned around to see Franco lumped on the floor in front of Dante's feet. Dante had a look on his face that chilled her to the core. His gaze was tilted sligtly downward but she could still see his eyes clearly. They were dark – darker than she'd ever seen them. They scared her. She still felt frozen.

"Dante," she finally whispered, "what did you do? Why did you...you're scaring me," she couldn't settle on what she wanted to say.

"I didn't. He's not dead; just in a deep sleep," he said robotically as he kept his stare on Franco.

"You're scaring me!" Lulu yelled this time.

Dante shook his head as if waking up from a daydream and looked up for the first time from Franco's body since shooting him. "I'm sorry, baby. I just kind of lost it when I saw him holding you and remembered the last time. I didn't mean to scare you," he said, his face softened and his eyes back to their normal dark-brown orbs of sensuality. He walked over to where she was standing next to Lucky.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he said softly to her as he reached his left hand to her waist, his right still dangling the gun.

Lulu reached her arms around his neck and hugged him hard, letting a tear escape her eye. She held him there for a few moments then pushed him away quickly and slapped him across the face.

The slap surprised both Dante and Lucky, with Lucky jumping back a little bit.

"What was that for?" Dante asked.

"For lying to me and for scaring me, damn it!" Lulu yelled at him.

"I'm sorry. I know this wasn't what you were expecting," he said knowingly.

"No, it wasn't," Lulu retorted as she crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Lulu, it had to be done this way," Lucky chimed in.

"You let him lie to me? Lucky, you know how I hate that. I could've held my own with Franco..." Lulu started.

"The hell you would've!" Dante yelled back. "Yeah, I trust that you would give him a run for his money but I didn't trust HIM. And I'd never put you in that position, not with the likes of him!" Dante stormed behind her and Lucky, locking the door that had been opened.

"So what now?" Lulu asked, calmly this time.

Lucky decided to respond, "We lure Jason and Sonny here to find Franco."

"How are you going to do that?" Lulu asked.

"Lucky isn't; I am," Dante chimed in.

Lulu's eye's grew wide as she remembered their earlier conversation and exclaimed, "You're supposed to be meeting Jason and Sonny at the house!"

"I am," Dante said.

"So go already! They are going to get suspicious..." she stopped as Dante held up his hand toward Lucky and motioned for him to give Dante something. Lucky walked to the couch and pulled a small video camera from under the cushions in a small hidden compartment in the couches base. He flipped it open and handed it to Dante.

Dante walked to stand next to Lulu so she could see the picture and then pointed out, "You see? There I am!" He smiled then.

Lulu was stunned at the picture in front of her.


	22. Ch 22: Twins! Well, sorta

Lulu just kept staring at what she was watching. She was completely confused.

"I never thought anyone ouldc make my sister speechless," Lucky spoke up, now half-amused.

Ignoring her brother's comment, Lulu asked, "Dante, what exactly am I looking at?"

"Not what, who. That's me. Can't you tell?" He was still smiling.

"Uh, yeah, but how, why?" Lulu asked, looking away from the video and at him.

"That's not important, like Franco said, some magic should never be revealed," he said back. He pointed back to the video camera, "Oh, look, here comes the good part."

She looked back and saw the back of Jason and Sonny's head and them yelling at a figure running in front of them and into the house her father..."WHAT?" she exclaimed as she saw the house explode as the fake Dante ran into the house.

"Yes!" Dante said. "Wait, watch Jason and Sonny," He pointed out.

All three watched the reaction of Dante's father and his right hand man. They were clearly in shock. Sonny tried to run to the house but Jason pulled him back. They saw what couldn't be confused with any other words than "My Son" come out of Sonny's mouth. He was visibly shaken.

"Wow, Lucky, your guy is good. It seems my dad thought he really was me," Dante said to Lulu's brother. "Where'd you find him?"

"I've known him for a long time and you don't want to know why," Lucky replied.

"So how did you get him to run into a house that he knew was going to explode?" Dante asked.

"He's crazy; I mean certifiably whacko. All I had to say was that we needed the building to explode as he was going into it and he was on board. He worked out the details," Lucky said. "He lives for this stuff."

"And I have lived to see Sonny behind bars," Dante said, as he and Lucky traded fisted handshakes.

The three heard a low groan from behind them and turned to see Franco waking up, very groggy and disoriented.

"Oh, our bait is waking up. Time to make him nice and comfortable," Lucky said. He walked to the limp body and lifted him to the chair. Dante had gotten thick rope from the closet and handed it to Lucky. They both tied Franco securely to the arm chair; then stuffed a small gag into his mouth securing it with duck tape.

"There you go Franco," Dante said with a smile. "How does it feel to be the bait this time?" Dante paused. "What? No response. Cat got your tongue?" Franco's face contorted into one that wasn't amused.

Then Dante leaned down to Franco's left ear and in a whisper that only Franco could hear said, "You're bait now for my father but you'll be my masterpiece later." Franco turned his head to look at Dante. His eyes told Franco that he meant it. Franco turned back to look in front of him. Dante, satisfied that he sent his message loud and clear, stood up and walked over to Lulu.

"We gotta get out of here. Sonny and Jason will be here soon and they think we're both dead," he said.

"So, let's finish this, amigo," Lucky said. "Everything is all set here so you guys can go now. I got the rest of this."

"It looks like you're going to enjoy this," Dante said to his new partner.

"Oh, yeah, I am. As much as Sonny was almost a father to me, he's also been the sole reason for all the craziness in this town and after my sister's near death experience by this joker, I'm ready for the good guys to win finally," Lucky said as he put a magazine in his gun.

Lulu noticed then that Lucky's gun hadn't even been loaded. "Your gun wasn't loaded?"

"Nope," Lucky replied. "We couldn't risk hurting you. We knew Franco would be armed but that we couldn't control. We just needed to eliminate as many variables as possible. Plus, Dante had a back up plan if things went south."

"A back up plan?" Lulu asked.

"Yes, but nevermind that. We didn't need it," Dante chimed in. He took Lulu's hand and pulled her out the back door. "Let's go. Now we really gotta be out of here."

"Be careful!" Lulu called out to Lucky as Dante dragged her out of the safehouse and into the woods, where another man was waiting for them.

"Get you ass behind me, Dante!" Mac whisper-yelled. "Sonny is about three minutes away and he thinks you're dead."

"Yeah, I know, I planned it that way," Dante said back, the Bensonhurst boy coming out towards the local police chief.

"Don't be smart with me. If you were my detective, I'd suspend you," Mac said.

"For what? Handing you three of the most notorious criminals on a silver platter?" Dante retorted.

"No," Mac said plainly, "for putting my best detective in danger with this cockamamey plan of yours. If I had known about this any earlier..." Mac started to say but was so mad that he changed the subject. "Did I mention that you basically kidnapped this lovely young lady here? Add to that blowing up property and I could throw the book at you! Plus Lucky still has to do his part and get them to slip up!"

"Oh," Dante said. "Well, I'm sorry about all that but we didn't become cops to play it safe. Lucky knew what he was doing; and Lulu, well, she has a mind of her own, which I happen to love," he paused and smiled at Lulu. "As for Luke's home away from home, that was his idea. You'll have to speak with him about that."

"It was dad's idea?" Lulu asked.

"Oh, yes, but I'll let him tell you that," he said as he put his arms around her waist.

Suddenly, Mac pulled both Dante and Lulu down. "Showtime," he said. All three looked towards the safehouse as Sonny and Jason approached.

Dante whispered to Mac, "So where's the popcorn?"


	23. Ch 23: Checkmate, Sonny

"So, Franco, how should I do this? I mean, I'm not an artist like you. I'm just a Spencer, and we don't really plan anything. We just kinda fly by the seat of our pants," Lucky said, flailing his gun as he used his hands while talking. Franco remained silent with the gag still in his mouth.

"I mean, oh, hey, look at that, I'm picking up my friend Dante's Italian habits, using my hands. Italian, huh? Does that mean anything to you? You know, Godfathers and such. You know, Dante's dad is a Godfather. So, uh, you're in a better position in my torture than his, or are you in my hands at all?" Lucky said as the door tore open behind him.

Jason came barreling in, gun wielded, with Sonny following closely behind him. Jason halted quickly as he spotted lucky. Confused, he said, "Lucky?"

"Hey, what took you guys so long?" Lucky said. "I almost did it myself, but since I'm a cop now I have to follow certain rules." 

"Rules? Lucky, what are you doing here?" Jason asked.

"I don't care why Lucky is here. I just want it done, Jason," Sonny said, his eyes fixed on the tied up and gagged Franco.

"Whoa, Sonny," Jason halted. "We need to access first. Lucky has to know more. He beat us here..."

"I DON'T CARE! I DON'T CARE! HE KILLED MY SON! HE HAS TO DIE!" Sonny's anger was so overwhelming that his face was red, his hands shaking and his voice not his own.

"Sonny, calm down, you didn't even know Dante," Lucky said calmly. "And Franco is gonna die, just give Jason and I a little time to torture the freak before I let Jason finish him off."

"He killed Lulu, too," Sonny added, still angry but not as loud.

"I know, I saw," Lucky said.

"You saw? How?" Jason asked, not mincing words.

"He had me tied up here but as you know, we Spencers can't be restrained with anything," Lucky smiled.

"But Lulu," Sonny reminded.

"Yeah, I know. And that's why he needs to be tortured first," Lucky said through gritted teeth.

"Leave, Lucky," Jason said, pointing his gun at Franco, fully cocked.

"Not yet," Lucky said.

"Do it, Jason. Now," Sonny commanded.

"Leave, Lucky," Jason. "You won't be able to explain your presence over a dead Franco."

"I'll take that chance," Lucky replied. "I want to watch him die."

"Jason, stop stalling and kill him," Sonny yelled.

Franco, after soaking the white rag in his mouth with his own spit, blew it out towards Jason's feet.

After a few coughs, Franco cleared his throat and said, "You've been played, you've both been played, we've all been played." Then smiling, he added, "It's brilliant. He's brilliant. A worthy opponent."

"What?" Sonny said, confused. "Freak, you're about to die. I wouldn't make it worse."

Franco laughed, the crazy back in his eyes. "Whatever. I don't mind dying. I just want to be alive long enough to see your face when you see."

"When I see? See what?" Sonny asked.

Lucky raised his gun at Jason. "See this," Lucky said, just before Mac, Dante and two other officers came through the back door of the safehouse.

"Jason Morgan," Lucky started, "You are under arrest for the attempted murder of James Franco..."

Mac chimed in as Lucky finished reading Jason his rights, "Michael Corinthos, Jr.,..."

"No, Mac," Dante said, "I got this."

"Dante, you're alive," Sonny breathed. Tears welled in his eyes but didn't fall.

"Michael Corinthos, Jr.," Dante began, as Mac cuffed Sonny's hands behind his back. "You are under arrest for the attempted murder of James Franco. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attourney. If you don't have an attourney one will be appointed to you. Do you understand your rights as they've been read to you?"

"You're okay," Sonny said again.

"Do you understand your rights, Sonny?" Dante said again, no emotion in his eyes.

"Yes, I understand," Sonny responded.

"Good, you'll definitely need a lawyer," Dante said. "But not even Diane can save you from this."

"Priceless," Franco said, smiling, eyes locked between father and son. "Okay, you can let Jason kill me now."

"Oh, I don't think so, Franco," Dante said, kneeling to Franco's level. Then he whispered, "Remember my masterpiece? Remember I'm not my father? Remember hands dirty?" Dante smiled as he shoved the white rag back in Franco's mouth.

"Thanks," Mac added, "I didn't want to hear him speak."

"Yeah, I got him. We'll be right behind you," Dante stood up.

"Okay, but don't get cute. Just bring him in," Mac said.

"Sure thing," Dante smiled, as he crossed his hands in front of his body in his signature stance.

"Oh, and Dante," Mac looked back. "Thanks."

"For what?" Dante asked.

"For the silver platter and...stuff," Mac said. Then paused, adding, "But don't be a hero. Just bring him in."

"You can trust me," Dante said, showing he was a little hurt.

"Yeah, as far as I can throw you," Mac said. "Bring him in, Dante."

"Like I said, right behind you," Dante lied.

Once they were all gone, Dante turned to Franco, "Looks like it's just you and me at this party. Let's have some fun."


	24. Ch 24: Dante's Curtain Call

Franco, white rag still in his mouth, grew impatient as he watched Dante pace in the cabin gun in hand. Franco kicked the coffee table in frustration, getting Dante's attention.

"What? Wanna say something?" Dante asked, raising his hands. Then dropped them, "Oh, okay." He pulled the rag out of Franco's mouth and stepped away.

"So, gonna kill me or what?" Franco sneered.

"Kill you? Oh, this," Dante smirked, waving the gun. "You're really not that smart are you? There are no bullets in this, just tranquilizers. I couldn't put Lulu in any more danger than she was." Dante's eyes grew dark and his mouth tightened then.

"What? Cat got your tongue, Officer Falconeri?" Franco smirked then.

"You see, that doesn't bother me anymore. You're little snide comments. I, I feel sorry for you, Franco," Dante answered, his face hard but his words gentle.

"Sorry for me? I'm right where I want to be," Franco said, still smirking.

"Really, Franco? Because from what I see you have nothing left. Nothing," Dante added. "You see, I have some information on you Franco that a lot of your future cell mates are gonna love to know."

Franco laughed nervously. "Right. Good show, officer Falconeri."

"Oh, oh, yeah, it was. Officer Domestico and I had a great laugh at the pictures we found of you and...well, you know," Dante paused. "You know officer Domestico, right? You and him were friends, right? Oh, wait you were friends," Dante corrected. He watched as Franco's smirk faded and he saw his eyes grow dark. Dante's cell phone dinged then.

"Speak of the devil," Dante said, "here's a text from Ronnie now. Oh, another picture. Would you like to see it? Here," Dante turned his phone toward Franco. He watched as Franco's eyes grew angry and his face red, then added, "What do they say? O, yeah, a picture is worth a thousand words. Hmmm, seems to me your pictures say a lot more than that."

"You can't. You have to destroy those. They'll hurt my mother," Franco stammered.

"I guess you should've thought about that before you blackmailed Michael, my brother," Dante said with a smile.

"How, how did you get those? It's not possible," Franco asked, clearly surprised at what Dante held in his possession.

"A cop never reveals his sources, Franco, you should know that," Dante said, clearly happy with himself.

"So, what are you going to do with them?" Franco asked.

"Well, that all depends on you, Franco," Dante said.

"What do you mean?" Franco asked, his eyes a bit fearful.

"One wrong move in prison, or out of it, and they go public. Any mention of Michael's involvement in Claudia's murder, even if you breathe wrong on the way to the police station, and their first appearance will be to your mom, then to your neighbors in prison and then to the rest of the world," Dante said plainly.

"My mouth is sealed, Officer Falconeri," Franco said. Then pausing a if to think, "You know, you are a lot like your father."

"I'm nothing like my father," Dante seethed. "You see, my father breaks things, people, anything in his life. I fix things. I put bad guys like you and my father behind bars. And I protect my family. I follow through," Dante finished. He put the cloth back into his mouth.

"Enough talk. It's time for you to meet your new roommate. By the time I'm done processing you, you'll wish I was your roommate," Dante said.

Untying Franco's feet, he pulled him up behind by the shoulders and pushed him out the door. Franco started to run but was tripped by a large foot. He fell to the ground hard, hitting his forehead and shoving the cloth more into his mouth. Two strong hands flipped him over and he stared up at the man who had tripped him, "Hi there, old friend," Ronnie said. "Thought Dante would be stupid enough to bring you in by himself? You really are a dummy, a pshyco, but a dummy nonetheless. You really shouldn't have kept those pictures."

Ronnie picked up Franco from the hard ground by his shoulders and his arm, literally dragging him to the squad car.

After securing Franco in the back, Ronnie joined Dante in the front seat.

"Just like old times, Falconeri," Ronnie smiled, offering Dante his fist.

"Just like old times, Domestico," Dante fist bumped. They headed to the PCPD, the elusive Franco behind his first set of bars.

_**** so I realize some of you might have wanted a little blood shed but these pictures will come in to play later, in another upcoming fic after the third installment which some of you already are reading "Alternat Universe: Missing." I'm going to pick up now where I left off with Missing, since Dante's Opera is complete. :-) ****_


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